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....THE.... U 3 Q 

Pointer's Guide 



PRICE, 15 CENTS 




SECOND EDITION 



PUBLISHED BY 

Des Moines Incubator Co., 

DES MOINES, IOWA. 
1898. 



KENYON PTG.& MFG. CO.. DES MOINES. IOWA. 



THE 

Poulter's Guide. 



SECOND EDITION. 

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( 72957 DEC 271897 



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DES MOINES INCUBATOR CO., 



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DES MOINES, IOWA. 



1898 

THE KENYON PRESS 

DES MOINES. 






.3)44 



Copyright, i8gy, by the 
DES MOINES INCUBA TOR CO. 



All rights reserved. 



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Ifntro^uctOT^ 



THE object of this little book is to point out, 
to all who will profit by its suggestions, 
a field of labor to which they may devote 
their leisure hours with pleasure and profit, or 
in which, if they desire to do so, they may find 
plenty of opportunity to enjoy the undivided 
thought and energy of their whole lives, with- 
out a fear of being pecuniary losers. Many 
avenues of profit lie open, but to the great mass 
of humanity the world seems a desert without 
an oasis within reach. 

To-day there are thousands of persons eager 
to avail themselves of anything that will make 
their way of life easier and more pleasant. If 
th^ey could only see some chance for doing so, 
they would willingly improve it. It is not so 
much a lack of energy or desire as a lack of 
foresight that keeps people in old and unprofit- 
able ruts. 

There is no field of human endeavor that 
presents to those of moderate means a fairer 
prospect than that of poultry culture, viewed 
in the light of modern progress. 

A few decades ago there was very little 
inducement for entering the poultry business, 
but time has worked miracles in this line as 
abundantly as in others. Twenty-five years 
ago poultry culture as a means of profit, espe- 
cially as an exclusive vocation, was almost 
unthought of. At that time there was no lit- 
erature pertaining to poultry culture, but now 
there are published in the United States a large 
number of papers and magazines devoted exclu- 
sively to poultry matters, while the farm jour- 
nals of every section of the country discuss the 
subject in all its phases, generally giving it a 
column or two in every issue. The regular 



poultry journals, however, are the real guides 
aud teachers. They point out to beginners the 
dangers to be avoided and unravel all the 
knotty problems that bothered the pioneers of 
the Meld. Their columns are always open to 
any one who seeks information or who desires 
to contribute for the benefit of his fellows at 
large some bit of useful knowledge that expe- 
rience has given him. We delight in reading 
the valuable contributions sent to these poultry 
journals by readers from different parts of the 
country, 

As a rule, poultry raisers are of a high order 
of intelligence, and advanced thinkers, and are, 
with few exceptions, adepts in the art of 
expressing their ideas in well-chosen and ele- 
gant words. So when one enters the realm of 
poultrydom and subscribes for a good poultry 
paper he seems to become one of a select circle 
of intelligent people, whose influence is always 
exerted for good, and whose views are instruct- 
ive and entertaining. 

The increase in poultry literature alone, 
while one of the most gratifying signs of the 
onward march of this industry, is a most con- 
vincing evidence of the development of the 
poultry business, for exponents of an unprofita- 
ble enterprise are not apt to wax great and 
prosperous. It is our special desire to give, 
herein, the fraternity as much information on 
the subject of poultry culture as can be gath- 
ered from practical resources, put under one 
cover and sold for 15 cents. We trust our 
efforts will result, at least, in some benefit to 
every subscriber. 

The master achievment of this age, which 
has done more to advance poultry culture than 
any other cause, is the modern Incubator and 
Brooder. The hen, as a producer of eggs, is 
indispensable. In that special function she 
baffles human invention. However, the inge- 
nuity of the higher animal, man, has raised 
the standard above her very highest attain- 
ments in the hatching and brooding of chicks. 



FIRST CHAPTER. 



POULTRY HOUSES 



Construction of Brood Houses — Houses 
Built for Winter Layers — General In- 
formation on the Construction of a 
Poultry House. 

Where a farmer has means at his command it 
is an easy matter to build a suitable poultry 
house. T^ice poultry buildings, with their neatly 
fenced yards, add much to the attracti ve appear- 
ance of the farm home. But, fortunately for 
those who must start with limited means, Biddy 
is not particular as to outward appearance, and, 
providing certain requirements of her nature 
are complied with, will reward her owner just 
as generously in more humble quarters. 

The most essential of these requirements are 
light, warmth and dry quarters. Dampness is 
the worst possible condition for poultry. It 
produces foul and disagreeable odors and pro- 
motes disease, which, if not fatal to the flock, 
will impair their vitality. 

For want of better quarters, a building con- 
structed after the fashion of a log house will 
do, and if chinked, mudded and well banked 
up, and covered with straw, will be so snug and 
warm that drinking water will hardly freeze in 
the coldest weather, and if other conditions are 
favorable, the hens will lay all winter. There 
are many ways in which a farmer can use ma- 
terials within his reach and build a comfortable 
poultry house without much expense, but of all 



6 THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 

mistakes in starting an egg farm the greatest 
is in having too small houses and runs. The 
old style of allowing the fowls to roost in trees 
will interfere with the egg basket; in fact, an 
egg basket is not needed. Nothing could be 
done that would contract colds, roup, etc., more 
rapidly than this exposure ; and the person who 
will allow his hens no better quarters than trees 
and open sheds, during the winter, will not be 
put to the bother of gathering many eggs. Just 
any kind of a house will not do. Houses can 
be conveniently and comfortably made so that 
they will not cost more than a hit-or-miss one. 
They must be large enough to give the stock 
ample room, and divided into pens, so that 
separate families are practically alone. Fine 
architecture amounts to very little outside of 
general appearance. Plain but comfortable 
looking houses are always more pretty than 
elaborate affairs. It requires ten square feet 
to comfortably house ten fowls. That is allow- 
ing a square foot for each bird, and is not one 
inch too much. When you begin to crowd your 
hens, you begin to cut down their products. 
The roosts should be about two feet from the 
ground, and under them should be built a plat- 
form to catch the droppings, and this platform 
should be cleaned every morning and then 
sprinkled with air-slacked lime. 

Do not favor the idea of putting glass fronts 
in your poultry houses. A more foolish expen- 
diture could not be made ; besides, too much 
glass, while it admits the sun at day, it also 
allows the cold to enter at night. A half win- 
dow-sash to each house or pen is sufficient, but 
it must be kept clean to admit the light. In 
localities where the winters are long and severe 
your poultry house will be greatly improved by 
making the windows double. Let the walls of 
your poultry house be thick, and if built double 
with dead air space between the outer and 
inner casings, you are well secured against 
frosted combs. It is not necessary to use the 
best lumber, neither do we advise using the 
poorest. Select a grade that will work closely 
together and avoid cracks. It is the warm, 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 7 

well-kept poultry house that will prove profita- 
ble to its owner. The fact is that labor and 
experience have proven that Poultry Does 
Pay. This or that farm that has gone under 
only gives color toshiftlessness, ignorance, and 
unbusiness-like methods of handling its busi- 
ness. 

After giving nearly all the patent roofing 
material a trial, we are forced to admit that 
nothing equals shingles for a good durable roof, 
and if they are painted they are good for at 
least twenty-five years' use. Every pen in the 
poultry house should have an entry in the rear. 
It makes it more convenient and the individual 
runs can be entered without disturbing the 
other families. At a very small cost, two-inch 
mesh wire netting can be secured sufficient to 
make five or six divisions in a poultry house 
thirty feet long, and twenty-eight inches of the 
base of these divisions should be of a different 
material ; canvas is good, which prevents the 
birds from fighting. If the drainage is proper, 
and no possible chance for the ground under- 
neath the structure to become damp, make the 
floors of earth, but on the other hand, use 
boards and look after it that they are properly 
laid and fitted, and made proof against rats 
and other animal vermin. If the latter is used, 
cover the floor to a depth of three inches with 
clean soil, and this should be gone over care- 
fully, every Monday morning, with a fine-tooth 
rake. Allow no manure and filth to accumu- 
late. The scratching pen is comparatively a 
new addition to the poultry house, and has 
already proven a wonderful help to successful 
poultry farming. 

The best plan is to have these pens well pro- 
tected against storms and this is best done 
under the same roof with the roosting rooms, 
at the same time affords easy access to and from 
both apartments. The size of the scratching 
room depends on the amount of room you have 
to spare, and the amount of cash you wish to 
use in the structure. Greater the space, 
greater the exercise, and exercise is the key- 
note for eggs and health. Supply these pens 



8 

with plenty of litter, such as hay, chaff, fine 
straw, and leaves are good. The principal 
object of the scatching pen is to make the 
fowls work for what they get to eat, especially 
for the afternoon meal. It aids digestion and 
assists greatly in keeping the birds in prime 
health. 

To complete the poultry house, the next 
important addition is the runs or yards. But 
with the exception of the warm pleasant days, 
runs not protected with cover are of little con- 
sequence during the winter season, but must 
be provided for at all other seasons. One hun- 
dred feet in length and same width as roosting 
and scratching pens should be the size. Within 
this space provision can be made for growing 
green food of different kinds, and every foot 
will be found useful. Small runs induce lazi- 
ness, and lazy fowls contract bad habits, as 
feather-pulling and egg-eating. A run of that 
size, if the scratching pens are not omitted, is 
far more valuable than the average farm range, 
as the same results are obtained, and there is 
no chance for the hens to secrete their nests. 
An orchard is a splendid location for a poultry 
house, and a double benefit will result. The 
fowls will aid in the health of the tree by 
keeping down the insects, and the trees wili, 
in return, furnish a generous shade which is of 
great value during the hot summer months. 
The most thrifty bearing plum trees are those 
grown in the poultry yard. We have had our 
trees loaded with this delicious fruit where our 
neighbors' orchards bore a good crop of leaves. 

CONSTRUCTION OF BROOD HOUSES. 

All users of incubators and brooders in time 
feel the need of a properly constructed brood 
house, and should carefully consider in their 
plans the question of convenience and ease of 
caring for the chickens, and provide an arrange- 
ment that will rear the largest possible percent- 
age and number with the smallest expenditure 
of money in first cost of building. A practical 
brood house may be made of quite inexpensive 
materials. The plans and internal arrangement 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 9 

are endless. A few points only are essential, 
and we will bring them up in their proper 
places. Brood houses may be of any length, 
single or double. The usual rate of capacity is 
five lineal feet of brooders per hundred chicks. 
Width : A single house should be thirteen feet 
and a double house twenty-four feet. A few 
feet more or less in width will make no differ- 
ence. These are average widths. 

The aiiey, in either a single or double brood 
house, should be of sufficient width for the 
attendant to carry a pail in each hand without 
having to walk sideways. Thi&is a small thing, 
but it is a great aid in feeding and watering. 
In a double brood house for broilers the brood- 
ers are placed on each side of alley. A young 
duck does not require as much heat as a chick. 
A wire fence in a duck brood house is not needed 
between the pens, so that one heating system 
can be run through the center of the building 
and a walk made on top of the brooders. In 
making the alley on top of the brooder pipes, 
the width of an alley is saved from the width 
of the building. 

Roof may be of shingles, slate, tin or sheet 
iron. We do not recommend the use of paper, 
felt, or any of the composition compounds, for 
the reason that they are frequently blown off 
during storms and the chicks get wet and 
chilled, and the whole brood is liable to be lost 
in consequence. 

Height of a brood house should be low to save 
heat and bring the heat down near the floor 
where the chicks stay. A low house is the easiest 
to heat. A building should be just high enough 
for the attendant to walk through, the alley 
being in the highest part of the building. 

Glass should never be put on the roof, always 
under the eaves. Ordinary sash can be used, 
made to slide or swing so that they can be 
easily opened in the summer time, the outside 
of the windows being covered with wire netting 
to keep out animals. In a double brood house, 
when the building stands north and south, the 
glass should be on both sides, but in case build- 
ings run east and west the glass is put under 



10 THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 

the eaves of the south side, and along the cen- 
ter of the building there should be a vertical 
offset in the roof and glass put along it, so that 
the rays of the sun will reach the pens on the 
north side. 

Yentilatiok.— No ventilation is needed in 
the winter time beyond what is accidental. In 
the summer time the glass sash are opened, and 
this provides all the ventilation required. This 
is one object of putting them under the eaves. 
In case they are opened the rain does not get 
in as it will when the sash are placed in roof, 
if left open accidentally. 

Foundations may be of brick, wood or sand. 
Brood house floors may be of earth, sand or 
gravel, filled in at least six inches higher than 
the ground outside, so as to get a dry floor. In 
a sandy location, when troubled with rats dig- 
ging under the foundation, if a one-inch mesh 
wire netting one foot or eighteen inches wide 
is buried around the outside of the building, 
making an underground fence, it will keep the 
rats out. They dig down to this net and as 
they cannot get through it they never think of 
digging under it, as they would a board or solid 
foundation. 

Walls may be constructed of rough board and 
batten, or tongue and groove boards, as the fancy 
of the builder dictates. The inside, if made of 
single board, should be lined with paper, and if 
double boards the paper should be put between. 
The object of using the paper is to make the 
building wind-proof. This is something that 
should be done. Inside the house the partitions 
between the various pens should be constructed 
of fine wire netting, as laths or solid partitions 
darken up the building too much. In the win- 
ter time the sun is low down and strikes the 
windows obliquely, and by having the partitions 
made of wire netting it allows the light to go 
through. Your brood house having a dry earth 
floor, glass under the eaves, air-tight walls and 
water-proof roof, the next essential is a good 
brood system. In a small brood house sectional 
pipe brooders may be used ; on a large scale the 
hot water pipe brooders, burning coal, or a com- 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 11 

bination of both systems. The end of the 
brood house should contain a shallow cellar or 
pit for the heater, the depth of this pit depend- 
ing on the size of the heater, running from 
twenty to thirty inches in depth. Around this 
heater can be arranged feed bins, place for coal 
or any of the various utensils and labor-saving 
devices that the attendant uses in his work, 
making a house convenient and not adding to 
the cost in any way. 




SECOND CHAPTER. 



FOOD FOR POULTRY. 



Feeding Matured Fowls for Best Kesults 
— How to Feed Young Chicks — How to 
Dress Broilers for Market— Marketing 
Ducks. 

It is not a chicken's disposition to be lazy, 
and if they become so the fault rests with you. 
If you let your fowls have free range you will 
always find them busy, or if you have them in 
yards and scatter their grain for them you will 
find them scratching and hunting, or in other 
words keeping themselves busy. Therefore, it 
is very important to keep them at work, and in 
the winter months you should cover the runs 
of your hen house with straw, leaves or litter, 
throwing the grain in it and let the fowls work 
to get it. In this way it gives them exercise, 
develops their muscles, keeps their blood in 
circulation and is more beneficial to their 
health than all the medicine imaginable. 

A scratching yard in connection with your 
poultry house will be found very beneficial in 
keeping the stock in a healthy, vigorous condi- 
tion, and at the same time improves your 
hatchers. 

The floor of the shed should always be cov- 
ered with hay, chaff, or leaves, to a depth of 
six to ten inches, allowing the fowls access to 
it when it is too cold or stormy for them to be 
in the yards. If chickens are fed all they can 
eat without exertion, it does not take them but 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 13 

a short time to devour it. then they will have 
several hours' leisure time to sit about and 
catch cold and other bad things. 

Too many people think it a waste of grain to 
feed in this way, but such is not the case, as 
chickens are good hunters and will find most 
all you throw out, and in case they do not the 
same will sprout, grow up and furnish a good 
food for them in that way. Keep them at work 
as much as you possibly can, irrespective of the 
breed or size. 

Avoid feeding very much soft feed when eggs 
are wanted for hatching purposes. Here a 
great many make a mistake during the early 
season. We admit that the egg production can 
be increased by feeding a mixture of egg food, 
poultry powder, pepper, etc., but the eggs will 
not hatch as well and a much larger percentage 
will die in the shell at all periods of incuba- 
tion. Forced egg production injures their vitality. 

When eggs are hatched early they must be 
gathered through the cold weather quite fre- 
quently in order to keep them from becoming 
chilled. Use care and good judgment in feed- 
ing. Provide warm houses for your poultry and 
keep them in good condition and you can rest 
assured their eggs will hatch well. 

THE DRY-FEED METHOD FOR YOUNG CHICKS. 

One great trouble with broilers is diarrhoea, 
caused in a measure by close quarters and 
extreme heat or cold. By using dry feed better 
results are claimed than by the wet or moist 
method. Begin to feed from twenty-four to 
thirty-six hours after the chicks leave the 
shell dry rolled oats, and continue five days, 
water being kept before them all the time. On 
the fifth day add one part of cracked corn or 
coarse meal (such as will pass through a 12-mesh 
to the inch sieve) to four parts of oats, grad- 
ually increasing the amount of meal and dis- 
continuing the oats. After two weeks add green 
food, prepared meat or beef scraps, stale bread 
toasted and pulverized, well mixed and fed dry. 
Green food may consist of grated roots, tur- 
nips, carrots, potatoes or cabbage. When start- 



14 THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 

ing to feed a new article of diet, give a taste 
the first time, gradually increasing the amount, 
and watch the effect upon the bowels. In case 
the bowels become very loose and need correc- 
tion, use citrate of iron and ammonia, one tea- 
spoonful of crystals in one quart of water in 
place of drinking water for young chicks. For 
old chicks there is nothing better than white 
oak bark tea, one part of the tea to three parts 
of water twice a week in the drinking water. 
Keep charcoal and bone meal, if you do not 
use prepared meat, before them all the time. 

HOW TO FEED YOUNG DUCKS. 

Grive water from the start in dishes covered 
with slats that the ducks can only get their 
heads between. Never let them get their bod- 
ies wet until five or six weeks old. Keep sand 
about the size of granulated sugar before them 
all the time, and if they do not eat it put some 
in the feed. Most breeders put sand in the 
feed all the time, and frequently diarrhoea can 
be stopped by giving the young duck a good 
dose of pure sand. Never give young ducks 
milk to drink, as it has a bad effect upon them. 
Mix a little charcoal and bone meal in the feed 
occasionally. 

Ducks are started on soaked bread or cracker 
dust and hard boiled eggs chopped fine, mixed 
well and feed moist the first three or four days. 
Then feed bran, fine meal, cracker dust, shorts, 
and a very little beef scraps to start with, 
gradually increasing the amount as the ducks 
grow older. Mix well and feed moist. Young 
ducks should be fed five times a day; as they 
grow older, three times a day ; gradually add 
green food, consisting of boiled roots, turnips, 
potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, squash and green 
oats, wheat, rye or corn fodder, clover, etc.; run 
through a feed cutter and cut as fine as possi- 
ble, the roots or cut grass being mixed with the 
feed. A growing duck may be fed one part of 
green food to two parts of the grain mixture to 
get large frame. The last two weeks before 
getting ready for market, shorten up the green 
food and give more corn. Too much green 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 15 

food makes the duck soft and flabby, and will 
injure its sale. By fattening on grain the 
flesh is made firm and will ik stand up," as the 
dealers express it. Fish is excellent food for 
young ducks, but if too much is fed it taints 
the meat and the duck is " fishy," which in- 
jures its sale. Buyers go shy of a fishy duck. 
The "beef scrap" duck is the best flavored, 
and will bring the best price. Too much bran 
or beef scraps will loosen the bowels. No two 
flocks of ducks can be fed alike. The feeder 
will have to use judgment. When they do not 
eat well, change the diet or proportion of the 
feed. Never let diarrhoea get a start. On the 
appearance of the first symptoms change the 
feed. 

MARKETING DUCKS. 

Pekin ducks should be up in weight and 
ready for market in ten weeks, before the pin 
feathers start. After the pin feathers start 
the ducks will lose in weight, and it will take 
two or three weeks to get them fat again. 
Ducks are either dry picked or scalded. Kill 
by cutting in mouth, hang by feet to bleed, 
with bill hooked below to prevent swinging. 

The scalding method is the best, as a major- 
ity in the New York market are prepared that 
way. Remove all the feathers except bead and 
part of neck, flights and tail. Boston ducks are 
dry picked with tail feathers removed and pin 
feathers shaved. After picking, cool thor- 
oughly in ice water. Ducks are packed thirty 
or forty in barrels or boxes without straw or 
paper. Cover with crushed ice and place bur- 
lap bagging over all. Young ducks, if properly 
fed, run ten to twelve pounds to the pair. If 
extra care be taken in feeding, and in picking 
and packing, 2 to 4 cents a pound may be 
obtained over market prices. 

HOW TO DRESS BROILERS FOR MARKET. 

Chickens that are well fattened, carefully 
dressed and properly packed never go begging 
for a market. It is that kind which bring 
"gilt-edge" prices. Keep them from feed or 



16 THE 

water ten to twelve hours before killing and 
never attempt to stuff a chicken by giving it all 
it will devour just before killing. 

Prepare a place for dressing in any cool out- 
house ; the wood shed will do. Drive large nails 
overhead, to which attach a long string, mak- 
ing a loop in the end to secure the legs. Hang 
the chick low enough to pluck with ease. 
Underneath place a box or barrel to catch the 
blood and feathers. Have a weight of about 
two pounds attached to a hook, and immedi- 
ately after sticking fasten this hook in the 
lower bill. When everything is in readiness 
suspend the chicken by the legs, secured in the 
loop. Catch it by the head and with a sharp, 
narrow-bladed knife make a cut across at the 
base of the brain inside the mouth. Then run 
point of knife through roof of the mouth into 
brain, then attach weight hook. 

This operation causes what is termed " drop- 
ping of the feathers," making them remove 
very easily. Soon as the knife enters the brain 
the bird loses all sense of feeling, and picking 
can be commenced at once with no fear of caus- 
ing more pain. Take both wings in one hand 
and remove the feathers with the other as 
quickly as possible without tearing the skin. 
Soon as the body feathers are picked pull the 
quills from the wings and tail. With a little 
experience one dozen can be dressed per hour. 

Never cut the heads off. Wash out the 
mouth well and not allow any clots of blood to 
remain in the throat, as it would discolor the 
neck. 

See that the feet are washed thoroughly 
clean. 

Be prepared with a bucket of ice cold water, 
containing a handful of salt. Let them remain 
in the cold water until the bodies are thoroughly 
cooled through. 

They are now ready for packing, which should 
be done in small-sized barrels or boxes that will 
hold from forty to fifty. Weigh the cases first, 
and be careful that they are perfectly clean. 

Turn the heads back under the wing and lay 
in regular rows or tiers, with legs straight, 



THE POULTER*S GUIDE. 17 

Leave three or four inches space on top of 
cases for ice, providing it is during the season 
when the least chance would be taken by not 
using it. Never pack in a shipment of choice 
chickens a specimen that is poor or off in color. 
Put such in a separate case by themselves and 
mark them "culls." Have the quality up to 
what you represent it. 

The market poultry man who exercises pride, 
care and neatness in delivering his shipments 
of dressed chickens never is burdened with an 
overstock. We advise taking up the method 
of the fancy butter maker, by packing in neatly 
made boxes, painted, hinged cover, a cleat 
handle at each end, plainly labeled, bearing 
return address. 

This style of shipping affords a splendid ad- 
vertisement, and can be made more complete 
by attaching a small card, neatly written, show- 
ing your name and date of killing, to the neck 
of each bird. 

From first to last, make every point a feature 
of extreme neatness, and the outcome will be a 
ready market for all that you can raise and 
profitable prices. 

OUR METHOD OF FEEDING YOUNG CHICKS — 
HERE IS THE SECRET OF YOUR SUCCESS. 

Feed nothing until the chicks are twenty-four 
hours old. It requires fully that length of time 
for the yolk of the egg y which is the last forma- 
tion of the chick's stomach, to become absorbed 
and transformed to its normal condition, and 
during that time food of any kind is injurious. 
We have had much experience and have watched 
the different food mixtures with an ''eye single " 
to the best results only. The hundred prepara- 
tions prescribed as the proper things to feed at 
stated periods are undoubtedly good, but we are 
endeavoring to point out the way to get the 
most profit without occupying your whole time, 
and we have found no feed better for chicks 
than the following : 

The first feed for 100 chicks : One egg boiled 
twenty minutes, mashed fine with a table-fork : 



18 THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 

add a half pint of bread crumbs, with just 
enough sweet milk (boiled) to moisten and mix 
to a crumbling- mass. Feed little and often on 
a clean board or paper. Contrary to what others 
claim, we would advise feeding hard boiled eggs 
sparingly, and in no case unless mixed with 
other food. For a standard food, take two 
parts corn and one of wheat, grind together, 
add a little salt and pepper, and moisten with 
boiled sweet milk. Occasionally, say twice a 
week, take the same materials, add a little 
meat scraps, a teaspoonful of soda, and bake in 
the oven. Care should be taken that no feed 
for chicks or fowls is given them in a wet, sloppy 
state ; it should be a dry, crumbly mass. Oat 
meal and barley, equal parts mixed, make a 
wholesome change when they can be had. 
Either of the two last mentioned are improved 
when cooked, baked or scalded, especially if the 
chicks are confined closely. Sweet milk is one 
of the best of diets, but it should never be given 
to young chicks without its being boiled, until 
after they are two weeks old. 

For variety give a little fresh meat as often 
as convenient. 

Onions are especially good for chicks or fowls 
of any kind. 

During winter, when other green food is hard 
to get, feed potatoes, cabbage or beets. 

Variety of food is of the greatest value to 
keep the chicks in thriving condition. 

Never feed spoiled or sour food to either 
chicks or old stock, as it is very liable to fer- 
ment in the crop and result fatally. Many a 
nice flock of fowls has been exterminated by 
feeding this kind of food during hot weather 
and the cause credited to cholera. 

The regulator on the brooder should be set so 
that the temperature in the hovering depart- 
ments will register 100 degrees for new hatched 
chicks until they are two or three days old, then 
lower the heat gradually for the next four days 
to 90 degrees, this being the temperature they 
will require for four or five weeks. 

Soon as the chicks are large enough they 
should be taught to leave the brooder and go 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



19 



on the roost. A light, low frame with flat strips 
two inches wide for the perches can be used at 
first, and they will do better than if left in the 
brooder too long ; and when the bird has been 
brought to this state of maturity, the operator 
will need very few, if any, further instructions. 




THIRD CHAPTER. 



Winter Layers — The Fowl for the 
Farmer — Care of Old Fowls. 

winter layers. 
Under this heading the American breeds are 
preferred, which comprise the following varie- 
ties : Barred, White, Pea-comb Plymouth 
Rocks, Silver, White and Golden Wyandottes, 
Black Mottled and White Javas, the American 
Dominies and the Jersey Blues. 

The Plymouth Rocks and Wyandottes un- 
doubtedly lead in this class, but either of these 
varieties are recommended as winter layers. 
They combine with their abilty in producing 
eggs, excellent table qualities, making them 
general purpose fowls. The Langshans, al- 
though of the Asiatic class, are also excellent 
layers and deserve to be rated with the Ameri- 
can fowls as layers. 

Writers on the subject of egg farming differ 
as to the advisablity of crossing different breeds 
for an increased egg production. Our experi- 
ences in that line are rather limited, as we are 
partial to sticking to one kind. We do not 
believe that two varieties of thoroughbred fowls 
can be united to produce offspring that can 
break the egg records of the same breeds used. 
The Leghorns and Minorcas are acknowledged 
the two greatest laying varieties. We cross 
them, but up to date we have not been able to 
secure as many eggs from the pullets as the same 
number of either Leghorn or Minorca pullets 
gave. But there is a point in crossing that has 
its virtue. If, for instance, we cross a Leghorn 
on a Plymouth Rock, we get a hardy bird with 
a smaller comb than the Leghorn has, and a 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 21 

bird that will do remarkable laying. A cross 
with a black Minorca cockerel on a black Lang- 
shan hen makes a most profitable fowl. Mr. 
Cushman, manager of the Rhode Island Ex- 
perimental Station, says : 

''The Indian Game crossed on Light Brah- 
ma gives good results, but as that is more of a 
table cross, it would hardly do as well as the 
crosses mentioned above." 

While we have breeds noted for their laying 
qualities, and while some of them are especially 
recommended for winter laying, there is an 
important matter that must not be overlooked. 
Hens and pullets, to do their best, must be regu- 
lated by good feeding and care. This we will 
call your attention to in a following chapter. 
Egg farming becomes an important industry 
when the eggs are largely produced during the 
winter. An egg in winter being worth two to 
three times its value if produced in summer, 
'it naturally becomes important to carefully 
study the requirements for the production, and 
the advice given in this book, while it may be 
far from perfect, and differ from the plans fol- 
lowed by others, comes mostly from the store 
house of our own experience, and for which at 
times we have paid more than market price. 

THE FOWL FOR THE FARMER. 

The merits of the different breeds of poultry 
would afford material for discussion sufficient 
to keep a full fledged poultry meeting in session 
a whole week. All varieties of standard fowls 
have admirers by the score, but our object here 
is to point out the bird that will, in our judg- 
ment, prove most profitable on the farm, both 
as an egg producer and for market purposes. 

A flock of fowls uniform in color is a pretty 
sight on any lawn or farm yard, and we are sure 
no variety will surpass the White Plymouth 
Rock or White Wyandotte either in appearance 
or profit. Their pure white plumage, yellow 
legs and skin and large plump bodies make 
them very desirable for market. The black pin 
feathers that grow so abundantly on colored 
fowls and add discredit to their market value 



22 

when dressed are not to be found on our favor- 
ite white fowls. No black pin feathers to con- 
tend with in a day's picking would be a relief 
to the mind and fingers, to say nothing of its 
value. As egg producers no breed of the larger 
kind can equal them. In this respect they suf- 
pass their parti-colored sisters. Why? Because 
one-fourth of the White Plymouth Rock and 
White Wyandottes are composed of White Leg- 
horn blood, which not only insures greater lay- 
ing qualities, but greatly reduces their brood- 
ing disposition. In weight the White Plymouth 
Rock, when bred to standard, are one pound 
heavier than the White Wyandottes. The 
standard weight of the White Plymouth Rock 
hen is seven pounds. They have low single 
combs that will stand the cold weather where 
a Leghorn comb would freeze. In localities 
where the weather is extremely cold the Wyan- 
dotte with its low rose comb has a preference 
over the Plymouth Rock, but it suffers a slight 
loss in weight. A hen with a frosted comb will 
not lay until it is nearly healed. 

FEED AND CARE OF OLD FOWLS. 

The days of haphazard feeding of poultry, 
and the lazy man's method of throwing out 
corn to the flocks in quantity, are fast becom- 
ing obsolete. 

The fact that the poultry industry more than 
equals in value that of any one agricultural 
crop begins to arouse many of our farmers. 
They are wondering why they do not receive 
greater profits than they are, or should be in 
poultry raising. The great number of poultry 
plants, or poultry farms, are opening the eyes 
of former easy-goers in poultry raising. 

Raising poultry has attained that degree of 
importance that it is no longer sneered at as a 
trifling occupation. The feeding of poultry has 
now almost become a science. The main idea 
used to be that anything was good enough to 
feed to the poultry. Now the poultry is fed 
rationally and intelligently. They are given 
rations that are known to stimulate egg pro- 
duction without causing them to become too 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 23 

fat. When the object is to fatten the poultry 
quite a different kind of food is given. The 
fact has also become established that different 
breeds require a dissimilar diet to produce the 
same effects. The large breeds do not forage to 
any great extent, and would become too fat if fed 
on certain kinds of feed that can be allowed 
the active breeds without any danger of im- 
pairing their laying qualities or making them 
too fat. 

The low price of wheat in the past has done 
more to convince many farmers that there is a 
profit to be derived from feeding wheat to fowls 
than they could be induced before to believe. 
On many farms, hereafter, wheat will be fed to 
poultry, no matter what the price. 

In feeding fowls the best success is attained 
where eggs are the object by feeding as varied 
a diet as possible. During spring and summer 
and until the heavy frosts of fall come, where 
the flock has a good range, two light meals a 
day is all that is necessary to give fowls. The 
morning feed should be ground oats and one- 
third the quantity of wheat bran mixed with 
scalding water given alternately every other 
day with corn meal and ground oats, using the 
bran with each. When the hens have been fed 
on grain exclusively they soon begin to show 
effects of a sameness of diet. A few experi- 
ments may be tried. Throw an apple into the 
poultry yards and notice how quickly it will be 
picked to pieces. When the hens are in the 
orchard they will not notice apples, though 
apples may be plentiful, because when on the 
range they can secure quite a variety of food, 
but now that they must be fed on grain with- 
out the green food an apple becomes a luxury. 
There is but little nutriment in the apple, but 
it is succulent and serves the purpose of the 
hens as a change of diet. The allowance of 
green food, if but a small one, will have a ben- 
eficial effect ; they will be more thrifty, will 
more easily digest their food and keep in a con- 
dition to lay. There are many substances that 
hens will accept in the winter. Cabbage, 
cooked potatoes or turnips, scalded corn fod- 



24 THE poulter's guide. 

der, cut fine ; cut clover hay, ensilage, and even 
vegetable tops that have become dry. They 
like variety and will always give a good account 
of themselves when they receive it in the win- 
ter season. During the late fall and winter of 
course the fowls will require more liberal feed- 
ing of grain. Wheat, buckwheat and corn 
may be used, remembering that if eggs are 
wanted more will be secured by liberal feeding 
of good sound wheat than corn. To get eggs 
in winter animal food of some kind must be 
provided. 

Nothing has been found more available or 
that produces better results than a green, raw 
bone. Green food of some kind will also be 
essential, and turnips, cabbage and rutabagas 
all answer well for this purpose ; cut clover 
(steamed) has also been found to be an excel- 
lent substitute for green food. To insure per- 
fect health, a portion of the food should be of 
a bulky nature. 

The following is a good feed for the poultry 
and admits of a variety. Take about three- 
fourths of a full feed of oats and soak it in 
water for fifteen minutes. A large amount of 
water is not required for the soaking. Place 
with the oats a spoonful or two of ground bone, 
and then add bran enough to absorb all the 
water. When this mixture is made it resembles 
chop-feed, and it should be given to the fowls 
in the morning. At noon throw wheat in places 
where the hens will have to work to get it, and 
at evening give a full allowance of corn. The 
feed may be changed and barley, rice or other 
grains given for the midday meal. The morn- 
ing feed may also be changed, but it is best to 
let the corn form the evening ration. 

SHORT NOTES. 

If your hens pip, or have swelled heads or 
eyes, there is a crack or hole in the wall. 
Usually the draughts from some ventilator are 
the cause, and the surest remedy is to keep the 
house close at night, but it must be kept clean 
and neat. G-ive warm water, once a day, in 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 25 

winter. It is invigorating, and is superior to 
tonics. 

Poultry yards should be spaded or plowed, 
and when alternate yards can be used, it is well 
to sow the yard not in use with clover and oats. 
These will make a rapid growth and can be 
used in June, when the other yard can be like- 
wise prepared and sowed with the same seeds. 
We keep our runs seeded in this way, and it is 
astonishing what amount of green food a dozen 
hens will consume in a day. Try it. — Western 
Garden and Poultry Journal. 

One stumbling block with poultry-keeping is 
in attempting to keep too large a number in 
too small a space. 

Tartar emetic, five grains, placed in an egg, 
will prevent a dog or cat from sucking eggs, 
after it gets the first dose. 

For large, heavy fowls have the roosts low. 

Dry earth is a good material to scatter under 
the roosts. 

Early hatched, well developed pullets make 
good winter layers. 

It is easier to raise chicks when they are all 
one kind than a dozen different kinds. 

The pet cat could often tell where the miss- 
ing chicks have gone if she could talk. 

Scrubs eat as much as pure breeds and don't 
give half the profit. 

Pools of filthy water should not be allowed in 
the chicken house. 

More meat and better meat in a shorter space 
of time can be produced from poultry than any 
other stock. 

POINTS ON FEEDING. 

The hen, like the cow, must be given bulky 
food. Give her all the chopped clover, scalded, 
that she can eat. If she is fat, the clover, with 
one ounce of lean meat per hen, will soon com- 
pel her to lay. Give your flock this ration twice 
a week and they will pay you with interest for 
the little extra trouble. 

Grain is deficient in lime and mineral matter, 
but bran is rich in nitrogen, carbon and mineral 
matter. 



26 THE poulter's guide. 

Beans and peas, cooked, and thickened with 
bran, and fed twice a week, is an excellent food 
for laying hens. 

The secret of feeding is to avoid getting your 
laying hens fat. Always keep your hens at 
work. An idle hen is never a good layer. 

Feed is everything. The machine for con- 
verting food into eggs must be of the best to be 
had. Anything and everything will not do. 
Good warm shelter saves food. 

When your birds have bowel disease, change 
the food a day or two, and change the grit. 
One-half the troubles are from lack of sharp, 
hard grit. 

When it is desired to push the growth, rather- 
better results can be secured by feeding cooked 
food. 

Soft food is an excellent invigorator when fed 
warm on a cold winter morning. 

Never feed on the ground, but always on a 
clean surface, which will prevent gapes and 
other diseases. Little troughs are best, which 
should be shallow and low enough for the chicks 
to eat without difficulty. Be careful to clean 
out the troughs as soon as the chicks have fin- 
ished their meal, as any excess of food left over 
will ferment quickly and generate disease. 

No fixed quantity can be estimated as to how 
much a chick will eat. A healthy chick will 
eat more than a sick one. The proper course 
to pursue is to give them as much as they will 
eat up clean at a meal, care being taken to re- 
move the surplus, except the grain, which they 
should scratch for. 

In winter but little water will be required, 
but it should be provided plentifully in sum- 
mer. It should never be allowed to freeze, nor 
should the chicks tread in it or soil it in any 
manner. The vessel should be so constructed 
as to allow them to drink at a small aperture 
only. When the chicks are raised in a brooder 
they may be called to their feed by giving a few 
raps or taps on the bottom of the brooder. 
They will understand the call before they are 
two days old. 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 27 

Put ten drops of tincture of iron in every pint 
of the drinking water as a tonic and change 
the water every morning. 

Many of the bowel diseases arise from colds. 
If a chick once becomes chilled it never recovers 
from the shock and the effects of cold are 
charged to the feed when in fact it is due to 
the chick becoming exposed at some time or 
other. 

About 90° is the proper temperature, and in 
many cases 95° will prove better. 

Until the birds are two weeks old the heat 
should not be run lower than 90°. 

In feeding, if you notice a struggle on the 
part of some to reach the food, provide more 
troughs. The accommodations should be 
ample. A few small troughs placed at differ- 
ent parts of the brooder are better than one 
long trough. 

Always keep sand and fine gravel sprinkled 
over the floor, as well as a little ground bone 
and oyster shells. 

Cold boiled rice is one of the best of foods for 
bowel disease. 

Chicks raised in the house entirely, provided 
everything is kept clean and pure, will thrive 
better than those that run out, especially if 
supplied with a variety of food. 

Fine cut straw makes one of the best and 
most wholesome beddings for young chicks to 
lie on at night. 

Good warm shelter saves food. 



FOURTH CHAPTER. 



This Chapter is Deyoted to the Raising 
of Ducks, Geese and Turkeys. 

(Albert M. Kepper, Winfield, Iowa.) 

Of all profitable poultry I believe ducks take 
the lead, when rightly managed. Have just 
come in from feeding mine which, by the way, 
number well on towards a thousand, and 
thought that I'd just write a bit to you all of 
their wonderful growth and vigor. 

The first roast of the season was just about 
two weeks ago (or June 20), when Mr. Duckling 
was ten weeks old to a day. We helped him 
celebrate, and he weighed a full five pounds. 
Such a dinner ! And to think that a chicken 
of that age would almost go into a pint tin. 
Last year, after paying for all cost, including 
eggs, oil and feed, 1 had $150 clear ; and they 
were all sold at live weight, home dealers' 
prices, 8i cents per pound, feathers were a 
secondary object ; only picked them once, but 
readily disposed of all I had at fifty cents per 
pound. 

Now I am going to try to tell you how I man- 
aged all this, besides doing for a family of six, 
including one '* hand." 

I had worried along with a few and raised 
fewer each year, and just knew "duck raising 
didn't pay, anyway"; but concluded to try 
just once more. 

We never use salt meats in summer, so there 
stood a good, tight smoke house going to waste, 
and after a good deal of talking I finally per- 
suaded "Farmer" to move it out on a nice 
green patch, and put a good tight fence around 
it, but I had to make a solemn (?) promise to 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 29 

place it where it had been if I fizzled, as he 
was sure I would. 

I had previously set twenty-three hens on 
duck eggs, and the very next day I rolled one 
hundred and eighty nice little yellow balls into 
their new home ; lit an oil stove and kept the 
room at ninety degrees, as near as possible, the 
first twenty-four hours. Then the next day 
being quite warm I opened the door and let 
them out; fed the first few days on stale 
bread, eggs, sand, curd, etc. When weather 
was favorable I only housed at night ; kept a 
fire at night for first ten nights, for in early 
spring the nights are quite ;chilly. Now, my 
very best prescription for keeping 'ducklings 
healthy is to keep them dry outside and wet 
inside. They should never be without drink- 
ing water, but a sudden shower is certain death 
if they are not feathered. This is my greatest 
reason for raising in yards. When I see a rain 
coming, which in Iowa means most any time, 
I can easily drive them in. They, when once 
they are accustomed to their home, are as easily 
driven as sheep. 

Ducklings of different ages should not be 
allowed to run together, for they grow so fast 
and are so clumsy that they trample the small 
ones to death. My experience has been that 
they cost no more to raise than hogs and there 
is a great difference in the profit when hogs 
bring from $2 50 to $3.00 per hundred weight 
and ducks bring from $7.00 to $8.50; and if 
your hogs get into your potato patch it is good- 
bye to the potatoes, but if your ducklings find 
their way in it is good-bye bugs. We turn ours 
in every year to rid the vines of bugs, and it 
saves the price of a good deal of feed. I never 
knew them to destroy a potato vine, but they 
must be kept from the cabbage, etc. When 
preparing vegetables for dinner, the large 
leaves of cabbage, lettuce and beets are thrown 
in whole to my ducklings in pens and they make 
a fresh bite that is greatly liked. For main ra- 
tion I feed them bran and corn meal mixed with 
sweet skim milk. Water will do, but milk is 
better,especially as I have very few meat scraps. 



30 THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 

I have been at a good deal of trouble and 
expense, but I have obtained the very best 
Pekins I have ever seen and will keep a flock 
of about two hundred breeders another year, 
as a duck's egg must be fresh to hatch a healthy, 
strong duckling. 

This year we piped the water into the. yard. 
As we already had a good water system for the 
other stock it only cost about $8 to bring it 
over, and now all I have to do is to turn a rod 
and count my ducks, and watch them grow 
while it runs. I buy my meal and bran by the 
ton. When I take a ton of corn or more at a 
time they grind it for $1 per ton. 

It pays to buy eggs to start with in quantity. 
The first I bought cost me here $9 per hundred 
and it was the best $9 I ever invested. I keep 
my very earliest hatched for breeders and sell 
my late ones at market ; but I intend to have 
enough next year so that I can spare stock and 
eggs. I would not offer eggs unless I could be 
sure they were fresh, nor stock unless I could 
guarantee a certain weight and age. Last 
winter I lacked one drake and sent with my 
mother to a breeder who said his were "fine," 
and when it came the ugly little thing wouldn't 
weigh five pounds. 

When starting, get the best, give them your 
verybest care and they will reward you beyond 
expectations, for you will not have to bother 
with lice or gapes ; and they will turn feed 
into money quicker than anything else that I 
know of. You can raise them in great num- 
bers together. People come for miles just to 
see so many together. — Iowa Homestead. 

HATCHING AND RAISING DUCKS. 

(Prom our Annual Catalogue.) 

It is a pleasure as well as a comical sight to 
watch the maneuvers of young ducklings when 
hatching. They are more interesting than any 
other variety of chicks. However, that feature 
alone would be of no special importance, but 
they are very profitable for market. The rich, 
sweet flavor of young duck is increasing the 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 31 

demand, and in many of the eastern markets 
they are preferred to spring chicken. They are 
very hardy, easy to raise, good layers, less sub- 
ject to disease, no lice ; hence the mortality is 
greatly reduced from that of any other variety 
of fowl. 

Duck eggs require one week longer to incu- 
bate than hen eggs, and should be hatched by 
themselves. The shells are very tough, which 
necessitates a different application of moisture 



mm 


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We manufacture a machine especially adapted 
for hatching this variety of eg^. The only 
difference in this and our regular machine is 
the egg tray and chamber being larger. They 
require the same heat as any other, but the 
germs start more slowly than hen eggs, and 
cannot be tested with certainty until six or 
seven days ; then if the shells are clean the un- 
fertile ones can be easily detected. Ducklings 
usually pip the shell from thirty-six to forty- 
eight hours before they get ready to come out, 
and the eggs should be turned with openings 
up. On the morning of the twenty-eighth day 
those that are pipped should be examined to 
see if they have broken through the lining, as 



32 the poulter's guide. 

often it is so tough that the little duck cannot 
break it, even after the shell has been pipped, 
and would smother for want of air. If needed, 
make a small opening through the lining and 
let them remain for eight hours ; then if they 
are unable to relieve themselves, help them out 
by removing the top part of the shell, taking 
pains not to cause bleeding by tearing the tis- 
sue lining. There is no danger of this trouble 
after they have turned themselves around in 
the shell, but until they do blood will flow from 
the broken lining. Although a little bleeding 
will not kill them, it causes more or less weak- 
ness. These conditions will apply to any kind 
of chicks when hatching, except that the ducks 
that are helped out of the shell are usually as 
strong as their brothers who scramble out with- 
out assistance, but the chick that cannot come 
into the world without help will find it difficult 
to exist. 

Let the young ducks occupy the nursery in 
the incubator until thoroughly dry, then re- 
move them to the brooder and run the temper- 
ature same as for chicks. 

After they are six weeks old, if the feathers 
have started well, all they need is a dry place 
in which to gather at night, and no artificial 
heat is required unless the weather is very cold. 

Feed nothing until after twenty-four hours 
old. 

First, give them a few drops of water, using 
great care not to let them get wet. Never 
allow young ducks water to swim in until after 
they begin to feather out well — five or six 
weeks old — but they must have it before them 
at all times to drink and wash out their bills. 

The same food that is good for young chicks 
is good for young ducks, but for the first two 
days it must be quite soft, and water placed 
within their reach, that they can get a dip with 
each mouthful. A young duck cannot swallow 
unless it has water with each bite. 

After two weeks it is of the greatest import- 
ance that the water dishes are deep enough to 
allow the young ducks to dip their bills well 
under the water. If not, a great many will be 






THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 33 

lost, and few breeders would suspect the cause. 
If the nostrils of the young ducklings become 
stopped with any substance — food or mud — 
they cannot breathe and will die for want of 
air. Tbis is prevented by supplying them with 
water vessels sufficiently deep and kept filled, 
and so protected that the ducks will get the 
least dampness upon their bodies. 

Young ducks should be kept warm and dry, 
and given all they will eat three times a day. 
After they are ten days old they need plenty of 
exercise and a yard to themselves. 

If it can be done, give them a clean pool of 
water to swim in as soon as the breast is fully 
feathered. However, they can be raised with- 
out this, but better with it. 

After a duck is half grown the kind of feed 
is immaterial ; they will thrive anyway, but 
they ought to have a variety of food, with 
plenty of corn in different forms — whole, 
cracked and coarse ground — as the main diet, 
if heavy weight for market is desired. 

For breeding stock the main food should be 
one-third corn and two-thirds wheat mixed 
(whole). If possible give them a pond of water 
to swim in, else the eggs will be largely unfer- 
tile and contain many imperfect germs. 

The best breeding specimens can be kept for 
five or six years for that purpose. 

During the laying season give them comfort- 
able quarters at night and plenty of clean 
straw to sit on, and do not let them out of 
their inclosure until eight or nine o'clock in 
the morning, as by that time they will have all 
their eggs laid, and they are in a nice, clean 
condition. Ducks are early birds and are on a 
look out for something to eat and drink the 
first thing at the break of day, and the earlier 
they get it the better. 

If the improved variety of Pekin ducks are 
used for breeders, the young stock will take on 
their first full coat of feathers in nine or ten 
weeks and are ready for market. Have your 
market engaged at this time and be prepared 
to give them prompt attention, for as soon as 
the second crop of pin feathers starts the young 



34 THE poulter's guide. 

ducks begin to lose in weight and are not mark- 
etable until four weeks later. 

Plump, clean and well dressed young ducks 
find ready sales and good profits. 

If ducks are raised in large numbers the 
feathers are one feature of profit. 

The best general purpose ducks are the 
improved Pekins, the Aylesburys and the 
Rouens. The Aylesburys are rather the heavi- 
est bodied and very hardy. The Pekin looks 
much the largest, owing to its immense coat of 
feathers, which are pure white, and they are also 
very easy to raise. The Rouen is one of the 
smaller, beautifully colored varieties, but is 
not so easily matured under confinement. 
They are great foragers and have many admir- 
ers. 

RAISING TURKEYS. 

Turkeys are generally considered hard to 
raise, but it is greatly due to improper meth- 
ods. Under close confinement they are a fail- 
ure, but if given plenty of range they are easily 
and profitably raised though tender when 
young, but become very hardy after six weeks 
old, or after the head and neck begin to get 
red. Their eggs hatch well in incubators, even 
stronger than hen eggs, and it is during the 
first two or three days of their lives that the 
greatest care is necessary. A brood of young 
turkeys would starve unless taught to eat, but 
eat very greedily after they once begin. The 
easiest way to teach them is to prepare little 
pellets, composed of the same materials as 
set forth for young chicks, and put one in 
the mouth of each turkey when they will not 
take it of their own accord. It is very seldom 
that the second is necessary. The kind and 
variety of feed best for young chicks is also 
best for young turkeys, but look out for any 
sloppy mixture. Cooked curd or sour milk is 
splendid for turkeys at any age. After two 
weeks old, give them a feed each day of whole 
wheat. Keep them housed in dry, comfortable 
quarters at night until they are six weeks old 
and never allow them to go out in the morning 






THE POULTER's GUIDE. 35 



until after the dew is off the grass. During 
their tender age one thorough wetting will 
check their growth for a week if it does not 
cause their death, but as soon as they begin to 
shoot the red give them all the liberty that you 
can ; feed them regularly at the same place ; 
keep them under shelter at night, and you will 
find a flock of turkeys as profitable as any other 
farm stock. If the young turkeys are hatched 
by the parent fowl see to it that the mother is 
well dusted with some vermin exterminator. 

For breeding and market purposes no variety 
will equal the Bronze, which is an improved 
American wild turkey. The weight of superior 
specimens frequently reaches forty pounds, and 
the young gobbler in the fall usually weighs 
from eighteen to twenty-five pounds, and if 
special care is given to the feed this weight may 
be increased. One hundred well kept turkeys 
matured and dressed for the holiday market 
will help to make the winter fireside more 
comfortable and happy, and at a season when 
most other farm products are unmarketable. 

OliD TURKEYS FOR BREEDERS. 

(C. P. Reynolds, Michigan.) 

I believe that the average turkey raiser makes 
a serious mistake in disposing of his breeding 
stock every year and recruiting his flock from 
young and often immature birds. Young tur- 
keys do not make number one breeders. While 
it is very true that a yearling hen will lay more 
eggs in a single season than a three or four year 
old, still from practical experience I have be- 
come convinced that the latter will produce a 
greater percentage of poults with sufficient vi- 
tality to carry them to maturity. 

My turkeys this year vary in age from year- 
lings to six and seven year olds. As each hen 
has a leg band, it is little or no trouble to trace 
them accurately. After a close observation I 
am well satisfied that the oldest hens have paid 
the best. They have invariably proven to be the 
best mothers, a greater per cent of their eggs 
have been fertile, and the poults hatched have 
seemed to possess a greater degree of vitality. 



36 THE poulter's guide. 

One of my oldest hens, during the fore part 
of May, made her nest and brought off sixteen 
fine, strong poults, but owing to an accident, 
for which she was not entirely to blame, every 
one of the youngsters perished. Later she made 
two unsuccessful attempts to bring off another 
brood, but failed in both instances. In the 
first instance crows destroyed the nest, and the 
second time a mowing machine wheel put an 
end to her hopes. 

One of the most striking instances, illustrat- 
ing the hardihood of old hens, is the experience 
of a neighbor a few years ago, who succeeded in 
keeping one hen thirteen years. While she was 
not as prolific as compared with her earlier 
years, yet in the aggregate she reared as many 
poults towards the last as during her more 
youthful years. 

Good authorities on turkey raising agree that 
breeding stock can be kept with profit as long 
as they live. While I do not know that I would 
put it quite as strongly, I feel confident that 
breeding turkeys can be kept with profit much 
longer than they usually are. In my earlier 
experience with turkeys I was a victim of the 
vigorous young stock craze, but I am getting 
further and further away every year, as I begin 
to see the errors of such a course. The fact 
that a domestic pullet will lay more eggs than 
a two or three-year-old domestic hen, and hence 
is the more profitable, does not argue that the 
young turkey hen will be better than an older 
one. A domestic hen and a turkey hen are two 
very different creatures, and are bred and raised 
for two entirely different purposes, generally. 

There is another great advantage in keeping 
old stock By so doing it greatly lessens the 
expense of procuring a torn every year to avoid 
inbreeding. If the breeder doesn't wish to go 
to an extreme with old stock, he will have no 
trouble in keeping stock three, four or even five 
years without a change. From actual experi- 
ence I feel perfectly safe in saying that a 
breeder can keep turkeys until five years of 
age and still have them strong and vigorous. 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 37 

NOTES ON TURKEY CULTURE. 

Water the young often. 

Turkeys must be dry picked. 

Full feeding keeps turkeys quiet. 

Wash the dishes thoroughly at each meal. 

Avoid rough handling in catching turkeys. 

The turkeys need not be cooped for fattening. 

Don't fatten the turkeys you intend keeping 
over for breeding. 

Tape worms cause the death of more little 
turks than gape worms do. 

Put an equal number of hens and toms in 
each package you send to market. 

Ehode Island turkeys bring the best price in 
New York and Boston markets. 

Turkey broilers spoil quickly if kept on ice, 
and cannot be shipped from a distance. 

Cushman says dry land, without shade, having 
short grass, makes the best turkey pasturage. 

Have you marked your turkeys, so that you 
can tell them from your neighbor's this fall or 
next summer ? 

Don't let your little turks feed on ground 
that has been occupied by chickens infested 
with gape worms. 

Put a stone into the water dish of little tur- 
keys to keep them from getting into it and 
wetting their feathers. 

Avoid overfeeding the breeding turkeys dur- 
ing the winter ; get them moderately thin by 
spring. Feed less corn and more oats, wheat 
and clover. 

If turkeys are shingled (a thin board tied to 
their shoulders so that they cannot fly) they 
can be confined to a field. 

The Western Poultry Journal recommends 
barrels and boxes lined with hay well hidden 
under an armful of brush or fodder as nests for 
turkeys. 

Can your turkeys drink from stagnant pools 
in your barn yard or near the pig pen, privy 
vault or sink drain? Then expect them to 
have sudden and fatal attacks of bowel trouble. 

Having the roosts within a large shed, the 
front closed by wire, keeping the hens indoors 



38 THE 

during, the morning until they have selected 
their nests, is a preventative for hidden nests 
in the woods. 

A Khode Island man raised from 200 to 425 
turkeys from twenty-two to thirty-six hens for 
a number of years. One of his daughters fed 
the little ones all through the season. 

It is said that last season a farm in Clay 
county, Minnesota, marketed 600 turkeys, which 
sold for $900, or more than was received for the 
grain crop of the whole farm of 700 acres. 

Seven months ago a hen on Mrs. David Kei 
ser's farm, Tuckerton, Pa., deserted a flock of 
eleven turkeys she had hatched. A game roos 
ter took pity on the youngsters and raised them, 
and notwithstanding that they now weigh from 
four to six pounds each, he will not desert them. 

Professor Cushman says the Rhode Island 
raisers feed little turkeys from start to finish 
on Northern White Flint corn, and use nothing 
but good old corn, unless it is to mix a little 
new corn with the old when fattening them. 
The coarse ground meal, mixed with sour milk, 
is given to the little ones. Later cracked corn 
is substituted for the meal. 

" Did you ever train a turkey to sit when sit- 
ting hens were scarce, or when you wanted to 
hatch hen eggs early in the fall or winter?" 
asks Professor Cushman. It is surprising how 
few know that this can be done. Just shut a 
gentle old turkey on a nest of china eggs so she 
cannot stand upright, and darken the nest. 
Put her off into a coop where there is food and 
water for a little while each day, and then shut 
heron again. In a few days you have a brood- 
ing turkey that you can trust to go off and on 
of her own accord and to sit closely on eggs of 
hens, turkeys, geese or ducks. She will do so 
for several months and keep in good condition. 

The turkey lays from 75 to 130 eggs in a year, 
and is capable of covering and hatching twenty 
eggs. Four weeks are required for incubation, 
and the young are not sold until matured. 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 39 

A CHEAP DRINKING FOUNTAIN. 

A model drinking fountain at a cost of seven 
cents each can be made by inverting a common 
plant pot, measuring live inches across the large 
end, into a saucer six and a half or seven inches 
in diameter. Drill a hole in the pot about an 
inch from the edge, and place a cork in the 
hole in the bottom. This makes a fountain for 
small chicks that they can't tip over, easily 
cleaned, and cheap. A good drill can be made 
by grinding the point of a common three cor- 
nered file so that the corners will be sharp ; 
this in a bit brace is all the tool needed. 

HERE IS ANOTHER WAY. 

Take a gallon jug and set it in a basin with 
flaring sides, the bottom of which is about the 
size of the jug or a little larger. In the side of 
the jug, about an inch below the top, punch a 
small hole about the size of an eight-penny nail. 
This can be done with an ordinary steel wire, 
but abetter way is to have a blacksmith drill 
it through. Set the jug in the basin and fill it 
with water, stopping the neck of the jug with 
a tight cork, and the water will run out until 
in stands on a level with the hole in the jug, as 
the pressure of the air will hold it at a level, 
and as fast as the fowls drink it the water will 
run out and maintain that level until the jug 
is empty. The cork must be air tight or the 
water will run out of the jug. Set this fountain 
on a block six inches high for old hens and they 
will not scratch dirt into the water. If it sets 
out of doors, the jug may be covered with a 
piece of flannel or old blanket. For debilitated 
fowls, or for chicks that have leg weakness, add 
a teaspoonful of chloride of iron to each gallon 
of drinking water. It is harmless, and will 
prove beneficial in most cases, though it is not 
a "cure all." 

RAISING GEESE. 

Goose eggs can be hatched in a good incuba- 
tor, but usually the shells are very tough and 
many of the goslings are unable to free them- 



40 

selves without help, and the same trouble exists 
even where the old goose does the incubating. 
But they can be helped out of the shell with 
less danger of injury than any other chick. 
Where large numbers of geese eggs are being 
hatched some of them are liable to contain 
fully matured goslings, unable even to pip the 
shell, that die unless the egg is opened. This 
state of affairs can be determined by the noise 
they are making in their efforts to break 
through, and if you can tell in no other way 
just where to open the shell, lay the egg in a 
pan of warm water, and make the opening in 
the center of the part that floats out of the 
water. With those that are unable to release 
themselves, after breaking through the shell, 
assistance should not be offered too soon, as 
they can remain in that state for thirty hours 
without injury, but at the end of that time 
break away the shell sufficient to admit their 
coming forth without great exertion. Keep the 
young goslings dry and warm and give them 
their first feed when they are thirty-six hours 
out, the same quality as we have directed for 
feeding young ducklings, and also at this time 
give them their first drink of water, but none 
to swim in. When they are three days old 
commence feeding all the green food they will 
eat. Green onion tops chopped fine are excel- 
lent. Green clover chopped fine is highly 
relished. Give them a variety of food and feed 
them often until nearly three weeks old, then 
let them have access to a lot where they can 
get all the fresh green grass they can eat. 

There is nothing growing feathers that will 
put on flesh so rapidly as goslings when they 
have reached the age of three weeks. They 
mature early and are good eating, and sell 
readily at good prices in any market. After 
the young stock is fully feathered they should 
have water to swim and wash in daily ; running 
water is best. If geese are kept in large num- 
bers it is best to pull three or four flight feath- 
ers from one wing, and this may save you the 
loss of the entire flock, as they are long-distance 
flyers. Geese usually commence laying in Feb- j 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 41 

ruary or March, and if hatched early the goslings 
are fully matured for market in the fall. 

GEESE FOB PROFIT. 
(From "A Few Hens.") 

Breed only the best. 

As a rule geese are hardy. 

Geese do not need bathing water. 

Geese cannot be successfully kept in runs. 

After fully feathered, geese will only need 
sheds for shelter. 

The commencement of laying season can be 
generally noted by the goose running from one 
place to another, carrying straws in her mouth. 

When a goose is shut up and lays her first egg 
in any particular nest, no further trouble need 
be taken with her, for she will continue to lay 
in that spot and not be likely to go elsewhere. 

Richardson says the ideal gander has large 
dimensions, active gait, lively and clear eyes, 
an ever-ready and hoarse voice, and a demeanor 
of full boldness. The goose should be chosen 
for her weight of body, steadiness of deport- 
ment and breadth of foot— a quality said to 
indicate the presence of other excellencies. 

In 1869 J. Brace said there seemed to be a 
great diversity of opinion among writers rela- 
tive to the domestic goose of America, many 
contending that they derived their parentage 
from the Canada wild goose ; on the other hand 
it is said by eminent ornithologists that the 
American wild goose is identical with the Can- 
ada, and that the latter derives its name from 
the former breed. 

The American Standard classifies the weights 
as follows : Toulouse and Embden varieties, 
adult gander, 25 lb.; young gander, 20 ft).; 
adult goose, 23 ft).; young goose, 18 ft). Afri- 
can, adult gander, 20 ft).; young gander, 16 
ft).; adult goose, 18 ft).; young goose, 14 ib. 
Chinese and Canada, adult gander, 16 ft).; 
young gander, 12 ft).; adult goose, 14 ft).; 
young goose, 10 ft). Egyptian, adult gander, 
15 ft).; } 7 oung gander, 12 ft).; adult goose, 12 
ft).; young goose, 9 ft). 






42 THE poulter's guide. 

NOTES ON DUCKS. 

Young ducklings should not be allowed t( 
swim until they are five weeks old, or until 
they have taken on their white coat of feathers. 

A handful of clean sand to every twelv< 
quarts of soft food for either young or old duck* 
will aid to keep them in good health. 

During breeding season keep ducks housed 
till 8 a. m. By that time they have laid their 
eggs. They usually lay at night. 

A pair of well-raised ducks ten weeks old, 
when dressed for market, should weigh nine 
pounds. 

Liberal feeding of whole grain will cause 
young ducks to have leg-weakness and apo- 
plexy. 

France's favorite duck is the Eouen, which 
is closely related to the Mallard. 

The Pekins are bred more extensively than 
all other varieties combined. 

To make duck farming profitable thorough- 
bred stock should be used. 

Those that are strong and vigorous will breed 
well until six years old. 

Ducks will do much better during warm 
weather if provided with shade. 

The price of market ducks is best from April 
15th to May 15th. 

A good supply of drinking water is a very 
important matter. 

The breeding stock should be at least two 
years old. 

Weak breeding stock makes duck raising 
unprofitable. 

Well-bred ducks lay from 100 to 150 eggs per 
year. 

Duck culture is gaining ground every year. 

England's favorite duck is the Aylesbury. 

Duck eggs require four weeks to hatch. 

The Cayuga duck is an American breed. 






FIFTH CHAPTER 



The Money Making Breeds — Furnishings 

for the Poultry Yard — Late 

Broods of Chicks. 

the money making breeds. 

We take the following article, wbich contains 
information which is so generally sought by 
the beginner, from Farm Poultry, of Boston : 

"In starting a poultry plant, whether on a 
large or small scale, the selection of the par- 
ticular breed of fowls is a most important con- 
sideration. 

"The first question to be decided is whether 
the venture is to be for pleasure or business. 
If the former, then a choice of any breed which 
may strike the fancy is the proper selection to 
be made. Of course, with an idea of beauty or 
oddity in view there is a wide field from which 
to choose. This may include the Polish family, 
with their peculiar and attractive head dresses ; 
the many varieties of Games, which are so fas- 
cinating to their admirers ; the Dorkings, world 
renowned for the beauty of plumage in the 
males and their excellent table qualities ; the 
Hamburgs, quick, active and beautiful ; and 
the Cochins, wonderful as to color of plumage 
and attractive because of their great size and 
docile natures. Next we come to the foreign 
breeds — Cr^vecoeurs, La Fleche and Houdans, 
and then to the oddities, such as Black Spanish, 
Red Caps, Russians, Silkies, Sultans and Aztecs, 
and finally to the large family of Bantams. All 
these breeds appeal to those who are looking 
for something to admire, and who are indifferent 
as to profits to be made from them. They are 



44 THE POULTRIES GUIDE. 

in no sense business breeds, and should be 
classed wholly as fancy, and to be kept by 
fanciers. 

"On the other hand, if we are inclined to- 
wards poultry keeping as a business, we must 
look to an entirely different class of fowls. 
Among such we can enumerate the following, 
each of which has a money making quality, 
aside from a purely fancy standpoint : Plym- 
outh Rocks, Leghorns, Minorcas, Wyandottes, 
Langshans, Andalusians and Brahmas. This 
list, it will be noted, is small, and yet it can 
be narrowed down still more, to define exactly 
which are the very best business breeds. 

" In making a selection from this list, many 
things must be thought of. What one may 
fancy is one thing, but what will pay best is 
another. The choice should be made entirely 
on the demand. For example, the Langshans 
are fine, large attractive birds, fair layers and 
good table specimens, but the demand for them 
is limited — hence, if bred to perfection the 
problem remains how to sell them ? Anda- 
lusians are handsome, good bodied and good 
layers ; yet the same fault is to be found with 
them — lack of demand. 

"The Minorcas are most valuable in two 
ways, for eggs and table, and yet there are cer- 
tain sections of the country where they are 
hardly known. This matter of demand can- 
not even be controlled. It is the public incli- 
nation toward one breed or another. Why one 
breed is popular and another not, is difficult to 
understand. Certain sections of the country 
run to certain breeds. New England, for 
example, is fond of Brahmas, and New York is 
perhaps the best Minorca state. The Leghorns 
are very well distributed, but the best in 
White. Brown and Buff are in but few hands. 
The Wyandottes have been pushed vigorously, 
and have won great recognition in many differ- 
ent sections. 

u The breed par excellence known from one 
end of the country to the other is the Barred 
Plymouth Rock. There is not a farmer, ama- 
teur or fancier who does not at once recognize 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 45 

the sterling qualities of this most popular of 
all breeds. It is almost useless to enumerate 
their qualities, they are so well known; yet 
they live up to these qualities and maintain 
year after year the excellence which is the foun- 
dation of their popularity. For egg producers, 
when eggs are highest in price, they are relia- 
ble ; for good large bodied specimens, when 
meat is demanded, they seldom fail, and for 
hardiness and general health they have no 
superiors. They are not beautiful, except in 
the eyes of their admirers ; yet there is a cer- 
tain steady, business-like air about these plain 
specimens which appeals to all classes, and 
stamps them the great money makers of poul- 
trydom. 

" It is safe to say that the demand for Ply- 
mouth Rocks is far in excess of that for any 
other breed. This does not reflect unfavora- 
bly on the other breeds ; it simply shows that 
they are the public's favorite. A great deal of 
this popularity may be traced to their ances- 
tors, the American Dominiques and Black 
Javas. The former, until superseded by the 
Plymouth Rock, was America's pride in poul- 
try. Therefore if, as I have said, the choice of 
a breed depends upon the demand for the same, 
the Plymouth Rock, especially the Barred 
variety, fills the bill better than any other. 

"The very best quality any breed can have is 
hardiness. A vigorous constitution in fowls is 
the first thing to consider. With it we may 
expect a good growth, an early maturity, a good 
egg yield and a fine carcass ; without it we can- 
not depend upon any of these results with cer- 
tainty. Health and prime condition go hand 
in hand, and both mean the best results obtain- 
able in poultry. The healthy hen is the egg 
type and the show room specimen. Condition 
should be the first consideration. Where can 
be found a healthier, stronger and more relia- 
ble breed than the Barred Plymouth Rocks ? 
Climatic conditions do not affect them. They 
are bred in all sections of our country. They 
are alike indifferent to cold and heat. No 
matter how low the temperature, this popular 



I 



46 

American breed attends strictly to business, 
and if they are comfortably housed at night 
and kept busy during the day, we may look for 
a full nest box at gathering time. Still, they lay 
a brown egg — and if the demand should be for 
white eggs, or both white and brown, we must 
look for another breed to run side by side with 
them, in order that the demand for both may 
be supplied. 

" Among the business breeds which lay white 
eggs our choice is limited — we have the Leg- 
horns, Minorcas, and Andalusians, The Min- 
orcas lay a large fine egg, and, if properly 
handled, plenty of them — but are they busi- 
ness egg machines ? The Andalusians also are 
prolific layers, but if we breed them to perfec- 
tion, is the demand sufficient to iustify their 
being kept for profit? We are forced to fall 
back on the Leghorns. Here we have truly 
egg machines — can they be beaten in this 
quality? The choice of the entire family 
is probably the White, Brown or Buff. It mat- 
ters little which we select — it is a fancy; ad- 
mirers of each claim superiority. Personally, I 
consider the White the choice. Are they popu- 
lar ? Yes — almost as much so as the Plymouth 
Bocks. They are well distributed throughout 
the country. The public has adopted them, 
and the demand for them has been, is and al- 
ways will be strong. Any person who cannot 
make money out of eggs, and keeps White, 
Brown or Buff Leghorns, does not deserve to be 
called an egg farmer. They are active, healthy, 
beautiful and profitable. Does any other breed 
combine more good qualities? 

''Their enemies, and they have some, call 
them spring and summer layers. They will 
lay as strong in the dead of winter as any 
breed, if properly housed. Being a closely 
feathered variety, they need warm quarters. 
Keep them shut up all winter in a house where 
the water never freezes in the pans : feed them 
liberally and keep them busy, and they will lay 
continuously; and when spring comes and the 
warmer air permits them to run out they will, 
like all other breeds, increase their egg yield, 



47 

but in greater proportion. They are the fit 
mates of the Plymouth Rocks for egg produc- 
tion. Being a non-sitting variety, they con- 
tinue the laying when the Plymouth Rocks 
become broody. 

"The greatest objection to the Leghorn is 
said to be its small carcass for market purposes. 
This is hardly an objection except to those who 
demand size and weight alone. As the chicks 
grow very rapidly and are very active, they can 
be made to dress as fine a broiler for sweet fine 
grained meat as any breed known — and at the 
earliest broiler season. As roasters there is 
nothing better than a well fatted three-pound 
Leghorn cockerel. 

"To conclude, therefore, we may consider 
that the great business team of all the breeds 
is the Plymouth Rock and the Leghorn. This 
combination is based on public demands. If 
we wish to make money out of poultry we must 
keep what is in the greatest demand, and I 
have yet to meet the breeder who has produced 
too many Plymouth Rocks or Leghorns to meet 
this demand." — E. O. Roessle, in Country Gen- 
tleman. 

FURNISHINGS FOR THE POULTRY YARD. 

(By Priscilla Plum, in Ohio Farmer.) 

The novice who studies the modern poultry 
catalogues or the columns of the poultry paper, 
with a view of finding out just what are the 
indispensable adjuncts of a poultry house, must 
think the business too complicated and expen- 
sive for ordinary mortals to engage in. I am 
often reminded of the remarks of a medical 
friend whose son was about to graduate an M. 
D. : "I must hurry to buy Charles what instru- 
ments he needs, and warn him that dealers in 
medical instruments make their goods to sell. 
They will try to unload on the new graduate all 
sorts of expensive things for which there is no 
real need in actual practice." 

First, we have the incubator and the brooder. 
They are all right, providing they are made on 
the right principles. There are machines that 
will do splendidly, but there are others that are 






48 the poulter's guide. 

complete failures. Still there are others that 
will do fairly good work by constant watching. 
The good incubator and brooder can be bought 
but not at the price of the poor one. Hydrome- 
ters are a useless article. There are incubator 
firms, however, who would have you believe they 
are indispensable. 

Then there is the absolutely necessary feed 
cooker, so the catalogues say, smallest size $12. 
Why not cook the feed for awhile in a large 
kettle on the kitchen stove, and save feed and 
cost of cooker ? Cooked feed is not needed every 
day, and but very little for young chicks. Po- 
tatoes are excellent baked in the oven. Millet 
seed is preferable to mush any time. 

Then come the patent roofing and accom- 
panying paints. Plain shingles and matched 
sidings are all that are required. If warmer 
houses are needed, common plaster with a good 
proportion of cement is best. Bone mills are 
good things to have, but not indispensable. A 
hardwood block and a hatchet will answer the 
purpose very well, for a while at least. 

Patent feed and water traps are not by any 
means an unmixed boon, and patent water 
tanks will freeze up. The self-heaters may 
explode. A clean board is just as good as a 
patent feed trough. 

The patent lice-killing machine I have not 
tried, but any good, fresh insect powder and a 
can with perforated cover, is good enough for 
me. Medicated nest-eggs are a nuisance. Poul- 
try invigorators and tonics are made to sell. 
Cholera compounds are not needed. Cleanli- 
ness, dry houses, lime and fresh drinking water 
with a few drops of carbolic acid, will keep 
away disease. Animal meat and blood com- 
pounds are not needed, with fresh cut bone. 
Crystal grit you can get from any stone pile, 
selecting the crumbly ones and crushing them 
with an iron mallet. Charcoal you can get 
from the kitchen stove. Ground oyster shells 
and dry ground bone, many do not think any 
better than gravel. The domestic fowl needs 
many things that the wild birds have no use 
for, but if it had been necessary for a hen to 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 49 

carry a pack of medicines and prepared foods 
nature would have provided something of the 
sort in the primitive state, Even the oft- 
wanted Douglass mixture must be used cau- 
tiously or something that appears like epilepsy 
follows. 

LATE BROODS OF CHICKS. 

We have been warned again and again against 
late hatching of chickens writes K. Hill in 
Orange Judd Farmer ; but the idea has been 
pretty thoroughly exploded that chicks will not 
do well if hatched in almost any of the sum- 
mer months if — and the "if" is an important 
word here — one will provide the proper con- 
ditions for the growing birds. These condi- 
tions are freedom from lice, plenty of shade, 
plenty of water, and good, wholesome food. 
The most thrifty chicks I ever raised were 
hatched the last week in June, and they were 
Light Brahmas at that. This year I shall have 
Brahma chicks hatched in July, and if I had a 
warm, dry barn cellar for winter use, I would 
not hesitate to hatch Brahmas and Cochins all 
through the summer. 

It is foolish, of course, to hatch late if one is 
to put the scanty feathered chickens into cold 
winter quarters. Too few of our farms have 
winter quarters sufficiently warm for even well- 
matured fowls to do their best. A hen must 
have warm quarters if she is to lay in cold 
weather, when eggs are high. Tight founda- 
tions, double boarding and stout building paper, 
with a low ceiling and double windows, will 
give warm quarters, but perhaps the most satis- 
factory of all houses for winter use in a cold 
climate are those built into a bank that slopes 
to the southeast. Provide warm quarters for 
your fowls, and you will have the satisfaction 
of hearing the hens cackling over eggs that are 
worth from 30 to 40 cents a dozen. 



SIXTH CHAPTER. 




AN IDEAL BARRED PLYMOUTH ROCK PULLET. 



Mating and Breeding Fowls — The Score 

Card. 

The following chapter is taken from Mr. D. 
L. Lambert's " Pocket Book Pointers. " "Death 
to Lice" (Mr. Lambert's invention) is noted 
everywhere. As a poultry breeder and judge 
his authority is universally recognized. 

It is one thing to purchase good birds, and 
quite another to breed them or to mate the 
parent stock so as to reproduce themselves in 
their progeny. He is no fancier who does not 
try to improve on fancy points. By fancy I pre- 
fer not only those which makes the bird nearer 
perfect according to the Standard of Perfec- 
tion, — yet utility as well,— something better 
and finer than the ordinary kind. There are 
breeds, plenty of them, that the nearer they 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 51 

approach perfection on the score card, the bet- 
ter they are also from a practical standpoint. 

A new beginner often puts too much value 
on the blood. That oft repeated adage, "Blood 
will tell," is all right in a way, yet one must 
not forget "that like begets like" just the 
same, and a cull will produce culls in a major- 
ity, no matter if he is blue-blooded to his toes. 

A novice has a Plymouth Rock with enamel 
in ear lobes, and asks if I think he can breed 
it out? I tell him he can breed it in much 
easier. 

Did you ever go through a poultry show care- 
fully and note the Que specimens in each class ; 
yet how few there are there even that approach 
our ideal, or the cuts of any variety that appear 
in poultry journals? How many really good 
bodied birds do you see among a hundred ? 

The first point a new beginner looks after is 
comb, yet the longer he breeds the further he 
will look beyond this appendage for excellen- 
cies on his ideal bird. Thus, in selling breed- 
ing males, we find it difficult to dispose of 
cheap specimens, unless they excel at least in 
comb. 

Common defects of nearly all breeds are bad 
shaped necks, shallow or flat breasts, high tails, 
narrow bodies and knock knees, or those too 
near together. In fact, a bird that has none 
of these defects, is invariably a good shaped one. 

There's a discussion among breeders as to 
which is most important, shape or color. I 
put shape first, because I consider it most 
important in a breeding bird, especially on the 
male side. 

As for breeding in line or akin, I would say 
never discard a superior bird for an inferior, 
because the former is related to your flock, 
while the latter may be new blood. By breed- 
ing related we can easier strengthen the color 
principle, yet we multiply the defects at the 
same time ; while if we can gain more than we 
lose and maintain the offspring, it is safe to 
keep working along in same line. 

I would not introduce new blood unless to 
strengthen my stock with a bird that excelled 






52 THE poulter's guide. 

in points where mine was weakest. Few 
breeders mention in their advertisements 
where their birds are strong, yet this would 
interest and secure buyers much quicker 
than some of their winnings. For instance, if 
my stock of Barred Plymouth Rocks were great 
for rich bay eyes, nice shape, deep blue barring, 
or bright yellow legs, I would enlarge on their 
most prominent features and rest assured that 
my numerous customers would be satisfied, 
because they would know what to look for when 
they sent in their orders. 

If my Light Brahmas had small firm pea 
combs or fine hackles, I would make the most 
of these, and specify their undercolor, whether 
pearl, bluish white or slate. I would use some 
printers' ink describing the excellencies of the 
color of their wings and tails if they were bet- 
ter than the average. Often some are looking 
for very heavy leg and toe feathering ; if I had 
that down fine 1 would say so. 

Partridge Cochin breeders have fads in their 
line, and if my stock excelled in any of their 
weaknesses, I would be pretty sure to remind 
them that rich mahogany color, fine delicate 
penciling, or whatever feature I had brought 
prominent in this breed, were theirs for the 
necessary spondulix. 

Brown Leghorn cockerels, with nice combs, 
good ear lobes, well striped hackles, and sad- 
dles are often wanted, as well as pullets with 
drooping combs and dark salmon-brown breasts. 
If I had such to sell I would say so, and no 
doubt catch more orders than those who claim 
they win everything at sight. So on through 
the entire list of standard varieties, certain 
flocks have certain characteristics in a greater 
or less degree than others, either through mat- 
ing for breeding or treatment in rearing, yet 
few there are that excel in all points ; in secur- 
ing one feature another is often sacrificed. 

Defects that are one and same in both sexes 
should be avoided as much as possible when 
mating for breeding. A good rule is to never 
breed from a poor shaped crower. A sire is re- 
sponsible for the style of his get. He also con- 






THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 53 

trols the color of his offspring. Size and con- 
stitutional vigor are principally due to the con- 
dition of the dam. 

It is very advisable to know the pedigree or 
lineage of your breeders; a point is often 
gained by having a cockerel from your finest 
hen. The male bird is one-half of the breeding 
pen, no matter whether he is mated to one or 
forty. A good vigorous crower will often fer- 
tilize the product of this latter number if 
allowed free range better than he would of two 
in confinement. 



PEN PICTURES OF STANDARD POULTRY. 



The American Standard of Perfection con- 
tains a list of one hundred and seventeen dif- 
ferent varieties of recognized breeds. These in- 
clude also turkeys, ducks and geese. These are 
divided into thirteen classes. The American 
or No. 1, has fourten different breeds to select 
from, Barred Plymouth Rocks, Buff Plymouth 
Rocks, Pea-comb Barred Plymouth Bocks, 
White Plymouth Rocks, Silver Wyandottes, 
Golden Wyandottes. Buff Wyandottes, White 
Wyandottes, Black Wyandottes, Black Javas, 
White Javas, Mottled Javas, American Domi- 
niques, and Jersey Blues. Among these, the 
Barred Plymouth Rock is most popular, and 
probably more extensively reared than any 
other breed, and traces of this barred or hawk 
colored plumage are seen in nearly every farm- 
er's flock in the land. 

BARRED PLYMOUTH ROCKS. 

Thirty years ago they were often called the 
Great American Mongrel on account of being 
made up from other breeds, probably the Black 
Javas aud American Dominiques, yet time has 
worn out this expression, and when a fowl is 
needed for business, the Barred (or original) 
Plymouth is first choice. Adult males weigh 
9i Bb., hens, 7£ ft)., cockerels or males under, or 
about one year old, should weigh 8 ft)., pullets, 



54 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



6i ib., each. All Plymouth Eocks have stout, 
clean yellow shanks, free from feathers of any 
kind below the hock joint; these and perma- 
nent white in ear lobes, lopped combs, and wry 
tails are disqualifications by the Standard. Buff, 
also White Plymouth Rocks, are similar to the 
Barred with the exception of color. 

Silver Wyandottes were admitted to the 
Standard at Worcester, Massachusetts, 1883. 
Previous to this time, they were known as 




BARRED PLYMOUTH ROCKS. 

American Seabrights, Hambletonians and other 
names. This new name Wyandotte, and ad- 
mittance to the Standard, gave them a boom 
never before witnessed in the poultry world. 
Specimens good, bad and indifferent sold at 
exorbitant prices as everybody wanted them ; 
culls were sold and bred from, and a raft of in- 
ferior birds palmed off on unsuspicious buyers as 
the proper article. This state of affairs cooled 
off the enthusiasm of many admirers, and 
brought the breed back to a level with the old 
varieties, yet they had been lauded by poultry 
people everywhere. Still the Silver Wyandotte 
in its purity, is a most excellent fowl; their size 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



55 



is a trifle smaller than the Plymouth Rocks, 
matured males weighing 8£ ft)., hens, 6£ ft)., 
young cockerels ought to go 7£ lb., at six 
months, pullets, 5£ ft)., according to the Stand- 
ard weights. 

The plumage of the male is a silver white 
neck, hackle and saddle, with a delicate black 
stripe in the center of each feather, while his 
body should be dark grey, and the tail glossy 
black, breast black with small white centres in 
each feather. The comb of both sexes is a well 




SIIiVER-LACED WYANDOTTES. 

rounded rose, the top being covered with small 
corrugations or indentures. The neck of the 
female should be striped, while the rest of the 
plumage, with the exception of fluff and tail, 
should be white webs, evenly laced with black. 
Their breast should be round and full ; legs 
short, well apart and bright yellow. All these 
points going to make them a grand all purpose 
fowl. They are prolific winter layers and fine 
table poultry. By introducing new blood every 
year, they can be kept hardy and vigorous. We 
also have the Golden Laced Wyandottes, the 
centres of feathers, necks and saddles being a 
rich bay or yellow, in place of white in the Sil- 






56 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



vers. These have many admirers. Following 
in the same line comes the White Wyandottes, 
alike in all respects to the Laced, excepting 
color, having a pure white plumage, short yel- 
low legs, broad compact bodies combined with 
prolific laying and a hardy constitution has 
earned for them a place in the hearts of Ameri- 
can poultry breeders that time will strengthen 
and increase. 



•^\r 




WHITE WYANDOTTES. 

The White Wyandotte of to-day is a rival of 
the finest practical fowl on earth. The win- 
ning cockerel at the late poultry show, Boston, 
Mass., sold for $50, while another one cooped at 
his side brought a like sum ; both buyers got 
bargains. Then comes the Black Wyandottes, 
which are black all over. 

The craze for Burl varieties has brought out 
the Buff Wyandotte and placed it among the 
Standard breeds. The Columbian Wyandottes 
are white with black striped necks; and the 
Partridges with penciled feathers — both the 
latter being of recent origin, and not yet 
admitted to the Standard. 

The Java is perhaps the oldest variety in the 
class of same weight as the Plymouth Kocks 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



57 



The Blacks have a yellow skin, and are excel- 
lent table fowls as well as abundant layers. 
The American Dominiques, one of the honored 
ancestors of the Barred Plymouth Bocks, has 
plumage similar, yet a rose comb, and about 
one pound lighter in weight. 

Jersey Blues were on deck early in the fifties, 
yet have a few admirers ; color, several shades 
of blue or slate. Standard weights. Cock, 10 
fib.; hen 8 ft).; cockerel, 7 ft).; pullet, 5 ft). 

CLASS NO 2 — ASIATICS. 

Light Brahmas, Dark Brahmas, Buff Cochins, 
Partridge Cochins, Black Cochins, White Coch- 
ins, Black Langshans, White Langshans. At 
the great Boston show of 1896 the Light Brahma 
class numbered over 400 specimens alone; 
almost a show of themselves. This goes to show 
them the most popular Asiatic. 







LIGHT BRAHMAS. 

They are the largest fowl we have. Adult 
males have often been shown weighing 15 ft). 
Also some with a selling price of $10 per ft). 
Standard weights, cock, 12 ft).; hen, 91 ft).; 
cockerel, 10 ft).; pullets, 8 ft).; while cocks not 
weighing 91 ft)., hens or cockerels not weighing 
71 ft)., and pullets 6 ft), each are disqualified. 



58 THE poulter's guide. 

Body color on surface, pure white ; under color, 
white or bluish white. Neck, wing (flight 
feathers) and tail, black or striped with black. 
Pea-comb, yellow shanks, well feathered down 
to their toes. The Dark Brahmas are some- 
what smaller than the Light, the Standard 
weights being one pound each less ; their shape 
is also different in profile. Body color of male, 
black, often slightly frosted with while. Neck, 
silvery white with black stripe. Black, same. 
Tail, black. Shanks heavily feathered down to 
the toes. The female should have a small pea- 
comb, neck silvery white striped with black. 
Body feathers, a light steel gray, regularly pen- 
ciled with black ; the more distinct the better. 
A well bred specimen of this kind is one of the 
handsomest hens in existence. 

The Buff Cochin is the oldest of the Buff 
varieties. Their color is buff all over even to 
the skin. Not that all of this breed come nice 
yet when one wishes to see the color to perfec- 
tion, select an Oakland Farm Cochin for your 
samples. Partridge Cochins come next in the 
Standard with same proportion of size and 
weight as others of the Cochin family, i. e, cock, 
11 ft). ; hen 8£ ft). ; cockerel 9 ft). ; pullet 7 ft). The 
male with his red-hued neck and saddle feath- 
ers nicely striped with black. The females with 
reddish brown body color, delicately penciled 
with a darker brown, makes them one of the 
handsomest varieties in the Asiatic class. 

White Cochins and Black Cochins are both 
solid color throughout. Neither are exten- 
sively bred. Several years ago we had some 
breeders who made specialties of both these 
breeds, and very fine specimens were shown. 

No matter what variety a painstaking fan- 
cier tackles as his exclusive specialty, they will 
come into prominence for their nearness to 
Standard requirements, and he will get the 
benefit if he sticks to them. 

The Black Langshans have many admirers. 
The American people are prejudiced against 
a black fowl anyway, and this one has had 
unusual obstacles to overcome. The disqualifi- 
cations are such that many otherwise fine spec- 






THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



59 



imens are thrown out at the shows. For in- 
stance, feathers not always below the middle 
joint of the outer toes, yellow skin even on the 
bottom of their feet, side sprigs on combs, white 
or gray in any part of their plumage, etc., de- 
prives many otherwise lordly Langshans of a 
score. The right color is a glossy greenish 
metallic black. Those showing purple in 
streaks or bars are cut accordingly, yet few 
there are that do not have this defect in a 
greater or less degree. White Langshans are 
pure white, with a single comb, and slatey blue 
shanks, showing pink between the scales. 




SINGLE COMB WHITE LEGHORNS. 

CLASS NO. 3 — MEDITERRANEAN. 

In this we have Single and Rose-combed 
Brown Leghorns, Single and Rose-combed 
White Leghorns; also Single-combed Black, 
Buff, Dominique and Silver Buckwing Leg- 
horns, Black and White Minorcas, Blue Anda- 
lusians and Black Spanish. Among the eight 
varieties of Leghorns, the Single-combed Brown 
and White are the most popular. Old time 



60 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



poultry writers named this race " egg ma- 
chines," and while new breeds have contested 
for the honors, the Leghorns will have the 
appellation for some time longer. They origi- 
nally came from, or near the city of Leghorn, in 
Italy, and as one writer pots it, " those who 
have kept them will cease to wonder why the 
organ grinder roams about in our land." Under 
proper conditions they will lay the year around 
without any inclination to incubate. Their 
fruit is large and white shelled, such as find 
favor in New York and Philadelphia markets. 
The average Leghorn is not a good market 
fowl, yet for small broilers, their breasts are 
round and plump as partridges. 

There are no Leghorn weights in the Stand- 
ard. A judge will sometimes cut for being too 
large and coarse, as well as too small and imma- 
ture. A squirrel tail ( projecting forward over 
its back ) disqualifies a Brown Leghorn, yet not 
a White one. Why this is so is a puzzler. 
Black Leghorns are wonderful layers. Domi- 
niques are few and far between. Buffs are be- 
coming more and more common, and better 
colored ones are shown each succeeding year. 




S. C. BROWN LEGHORNS. 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 61 

S. C. BROWN LEGHORNS. 

Black Minorcas are similar in appearance to 
Leghorns, although being larger in size and 
having larger combs, wattles and tails. 

Andalusians are often called Blue Spanish. 
In appearance they resemble the Black Spanish 
with the exception of color. 

CLASS NO. 4 — POLISH, 

Contains eight varieties, as follows : White 
Crested Black, Golden, Silver and White, 
Bearded Golden, Silver and White, Buff Laced. 
These are ornamental breeds, yet prolific lay- 
ers, and usually non-sitters. 

The White Crested Black are the most pop- 
ular, and their snow-white crests in comparison 
with their jet black bodies, make them one of 
the most beautiful breeds. 

CLASS NO. 5 — HAMBURGS, 

Contain Golden Spangled, Silver Spangled, 
Golden Penciled, Silver Penciled, White and 
Black, Red Caps, Silver and Golden Campines. 
The Hamburgs are much esteemed in England 
for their laying qualities. All varieties have 
rose combs, and lead colored or blue shanks and 
feet. 

The Bed Caps have the largest rose combs of 
any fowl, and are said to be wonderful layers. 

Campines are, perhaps, a rejuvenated Bolton 
Gray we used to hear so much about years ago. 

CLASS NO. 6 — FRENCH HOUDANS, CREYECOUER 
AND LA FLECHE. 

The Houdans are mottled black and white, 
and have the peculiarity of five toes. The 
absence of the fifth being a disqualification. 
The combs of the first two are Y shaped, stand- 
ing in front of their crests, while the latter 
has no crest, yet comb appears like antlers 
pointing upwards. 

CLASS NO. 7 — DORKINGS. * 

White, Silver, Gray and Colored. A long 
bodied fowl, with an abundance of white breast 
meat. These, also, have five toes on each foot. 



62 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



CLASS NO. 8 — GAMES AND GAME BANTAMS. 

Black Breasted Red, Brown Red, Golden 
Duckwing, Silver Duckwing, Red Pyle, White, 
Black and Bircben, all of which are duplicated 
in Bantams. There is no Standard for Pit 
Games; they are judged by comparison only. 
Weights are given for Bantams, cocks, 22 oz. ; 
hen, 20 oz. ; cockerels, 20 oz.; pullets, 18 oz., 
except Black Breasted, Red Malays, which are 
listed at 4 oz. heavier all around. 




COPY»lSH7£0" 
IllttUt 



7305* 



CORNISH INDIAN GAMES. 

The Cowiish Indian Games created quite a 
sensation in poultry circles when first imported 
from England a few years ago. They are 
claimed to be one of the best table fowls yet 
produced. They are very close feathered which 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 63 

makes them appear much smaller than they 
actually are. An adult male will tip the scales 
at 9 ft>.; hens, 6ift).; cockerel, 7|ft>.; pullets, 
5ift). 

CLASS NO. 9 — BANTAMS OTHER THAN GAME. 

Golden Seabright, Silver Seabright, Rose- 
combed White and Black, Booted White, Buff 
Cochin, Partridge Cochin, White Cochin, Black 
Cochin, Black Tailed Japanese, White Japan- 
ese, and White Crested White Polish ; nearly 
all of which are pigmies in counterpart of the 
larger breeds. 

CLASS NO. 10 — MISCELLANEOUS. 

Black Russians, Black Sumatras, White Silk- 
ies, White Sultans, Frizzles and Rumples. The 
two latter breeds are freaks. The Frizzles' 
feathers turn towards their heads, while Rum- 
ples are entirely devoid of tails. 

CLASS NO. 11 — TURKEYS. 

Bronze, Narragansett, Buff, Slate, White and 
Black. The first are often called Mammoth 
Bronze on account of not only being the largest 
turkey, but the largest fowl in the Standard. 
Adult cocks, 35 ft).; yearling cocks, 32 ft).; cock- 
erels, 24 ft).; hens, 20 ft).; pullets, 15 ft).; each are 
Standard weights, while specimens are often 
shown weighing over 40 ft). 

The turkey is a native of America, and was 
discovered here during the 15th century in a 
wild state, east of the Rocky Mountains. Free 
range is necessary for their successful rearing, 
as they fret and die in confinement. 

CLASS NO. 12 — DUCKS. 

Pekin, Aylesbury, Rouen, Cayuga, Colored 
Muscovy, White Muscovy, Gray Call, White 
Call, East Indian, White Crested. The Pekins 
are pure or creamy white, and most popular. 
Adult drakes weigh 8 ft).; young drakes, 7 ft).; 
adult ducks, 7 ft).; young ducks, 6 ft). 

The Rouens, which, by the way, are colored 
like the wild Mallard, should weigh a pound 
heavier each sex. 



64 

The Muscovy adult drakes in the Standard at 
10 lb. each. Duck raising, as a business, is of 
recent origin, as well as the consummation of 
the product. People have acquired a taste for 
roast duck as a change from turkey and chicken. 

CLASS NO. 13 — GEESE. 

Toulouse, Embden, African, Brown Chinese, 
White Chinese, Wild and Egyptian. The 
largest are the Toulouse. Adult grander, 23 ft).; 
adult goose, 20 lb. Young gander, 18 lb.; young 
goose, 15 lb. In color they are gray, shading to 
white on the under part of their bodies. The 
Embden Geese, being pure white, are most 
highly valued for their feathers. In size they 
are nearly equal to the largest. The Wild geese 
are often domesticated, and are used to cross 
with the other breeds. 

PRIZE-WINNERS. 

The essence of the fancy, the goal of the 
enthusiast, are the exhibitions which occur 
during the fall and winter months in sections 
where there are enough interested to support 
them. 

While a desire to possess the best may be the 
main object of some, the most enticing incent- 
ive is the excelling of one's competitor. A 
scholar at school will study and learn not par- 
ticularly to know the lesson well, but to reach 
the head of the class, and receive applause for 
it. 

Winning at shows is often accredited to " the 
tricks of the trade," while those who win with 
birds of their own rearing and fitting know 
differently. Success is possible in close com- 
petition only to those who breed or possess 
really good birds, and have them in proper con- 
dition for the fray. 

On this one point — condition — hangs the 
foremost trick of all. Good, strong winners 
can be ruined by neglect; moderately good ones 
improved by care. In close competition I have 
won the much coveted breeding pen prize on 
one quarter of a point. Suppose I had worked 
a week for this fraction that just bridged me 



65 

over, was I not well repaid for my work ? If 
my birds were short of weight I fed them on 
sugar with bread and milk by lamp light every 
night before going to bed, while they had all 
the grain they could stow away day times. I 
would give a choice cockerel a room, yes, a 
whole building to himself, rather than have 
him deteriorate one single fraction before going 
into the show pen. I have shaped his tail night 
after night until his sickles took the proper 
shape and curve, and when I was awarded 
highest honors I did not consider it the reward 
of tricksters ; simply the results of care and 
pains. 

Condition isn't made in a day; we must begin 
in the early spring to bring out the best points 
of any variety or breed. We must start with 
healthy breeding stock kept under favorable 
condition for strong, fertile eggs and vigorous 
progeny. Not over ten or twelve chicks should 
be allowed with one hen in roomy brood coops. 
Growing chicks are often cramped as they 
huddle or roost- in small boxes ; one-sided, 
hunched backed birds are the result. Boosts 
that are too close to the wall will cause cock- 
erels' tails to bob up like bouquets on the end of 
their backs, and no end of coaxing will make 
them assume the desired curve. 

Separating the sexes as they begin to mater- 
ialize is no secret or trick, yet it tends to better 
growth of both pullets and cockerels for breed- 
ing or show purposes. A Barred Plymouth 
Eock male kept from the sun, wind and rain 
while he gets his adult or new plumage will 
look cleaner in feather than those that run 
wild every day. Pullets that are cooped by 
themselves, not allowed to begin to lay, by 
changing them from pen to pen, one room to 
another, look their prettiest in the show pen, 
and are larger, finer birds for the trouble. 

To put show birds into best possible condition 
one needs to have a building purposely. For 
my use I have what I designate as a cockerel 
house. This building is covered all over outside 
with heavy paper and over this tarred paper 
battened, is warm enough except during the 



66 

coldest of weather. Inside is divided in 24 cages 
or pens, 12 3x3, 6 3x6 and 6 6x6, with a 5 ft. alley 
through the centre. The pens at the right of 
north side of the building have fronts of 3x4 
inch maple rods, each door swings on a rod 
which turns in its socket and buttons secure 
when shut. The 6x6 exercising pens have 
spring doors, each bird goes into these large 
pens alternately every few days. This is not 
an elaborate or expensive house, yet it answers 
my idea and is the best 1 have seen for the pur- 
pose. The stock keeps remarkably healthy, 
and goes into the breeding pens or show room in 
fine condition. By February the surplus cock- 
erels are nearly all sold, the lower pens to the 
right accommodate two sitting hens each, when 
they hatch the broods and hens are transferred 
into the 6x6 pens until the weather is such that 
they can go into coops out of doors. As soon as 
hatching season is over this arrangement can 
be cleaned and renovated for early fall fair stock, 
which goes through the same process of prepa- 
ration as before stated, except perhaps they are 
not as fully furnished as those that are to rise 
or fall with a score card. 

I repeat my assertion that condition is the 
secret of success in the show arena. Soiled 
plumage can be washed, yet how much nicer is 
that that never is allowed to become soiled. A 
bird short of weight can be stuffed with heavy 
food previous to weighing and with crop dis- 
torted made to weigh a 1-4 of a lb. more, yet how 
much better it is to begin a month before and 
by feeding well have the specimens Standard 
weight, with body rounded into fulness of all 
parts. 

Rough, scabby shanks and feet can be 
scoured, rubbed and cleaned previous to show- 
ing, yet they will show the effects every time ; 
yellow ochre, vaseline or olive oil can bedaubed 
on if no one objects to it, but give me that 
smooth, bright shank, where the divisions of 
scales are hardly visible, such as never have 
been saturated with anything stronger than 
dew or rainwater. 






THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 67 

There's a time when every bird reaches its 
prime, look their best ; then is the time to show 
them, no matter whether it's a chick just reach- 
ing its maturity, or a fowl finishing its moult, 
it will score more now than at any other time. 
We cannot trot a bird around to several exhibi- 
tions and expect it to sustain its reputation in 
each and every subsequent show ; experienced 
exhibitors learn this and plan months ahead 
for a successful display at some particular time, 
and prepare later birds for other events. It 
wears a bird in appearance to show it. yet does 
not effect its value as a breeder. The feathered 
race are not accustomed to being up nights, 
arrayed on saw dust under electric light for the 
benefit of an admiring crowd. 

One writes to know if I believe in sending 
my best birds to show, as some one had told 
him that it spoiled them. To which I reply : 
That I would send my best if I sent any. I 
show to win, and it takes pretty near the best 
to do this nowadays. He asks would 1 not 
send my best if 1 could be present? I would 
not exhibit unless I could go and attend my 
birds, not that officers and attendants do not 
do their best, but there are minor details that 
they have not the time to look after, and that 
fraction that may decide the prize can some- 
times be saved or gained by the arranging of 
tailor wing feathers — withholding too much 
grain — this will cause them to appear more 
sprightly and other little details incident to 
showing too numerous to mention. 

Last, but not least, I would look my birds 
over while preparing to show, and be sure they 
were not lousy. I would use Death to Lice on 
them every few days, which, in addition to 
keeping them free from vermin, cleanses and 
brightens their feathers if soiled or stained. 
It pays to dust frequently to keep them clean 
and comfortable. I handle and score hundreds 
of birds during the winter at poultry yards and 
the shows, and I see the ill-effcts of lice in 
many ways. I see birds with webs of their 
feathers eaten away with vermin, swarming 
around their thighs and fluffy feathers, making 



68 THE poulter's guide. 

the life of that biped miserable. They grin 
and bear it, scoring less, winning less, (or noth- 
ing) until their owner gets his eyes open to the 
fact that lice are here. 

A SCORE CARD. 

The score of a fowl is the amount which 
remains after deducting the cuts for defects 
from the 100 points which is supposed to repre- 
sent perfection. This valuation of 100 is 
divided among the different sections, such as 
so many points each for Symmetry, Weight, 
Condition, Head, Comb, Wattles and Ear Lobes, 
Neck, Back, Breast, Body and Fluff. These 
for the American and Asiatic classes, with 
nearly, if not quite the same for others. This 
is the copyright card of the American Poultry 
Association. There are several others in the 
field, Felch's, Fletcher's and Bushnell's, all sub- 
divided with columns for both shape and color, 
of which the easiest to learn, easiest to use and 
easiest to understand is the Decimal card. 
This has ten sections, valued at ten points each, 
5 for shape and 5 for color alike for all breeds, 
omitting symmetry, which has often a double 
cutting power. 

The first score card was doubtless originated 
to get at a more accurate method of awarding 
the prizes. Poultry people of forty years ago 
wanted more than a look and a say decision as 
to which were the best birds exhibited ; they 
wanted to know why and where they were con- 
sidered the best, and the score card was the 
result. There is considerable controversy going 
the rounds of the poultry press at this time as 
to which is the best method of awarding prizes, 
the score card or comparison. It is my opinion 
that to do away with the card is to step back- 
ward. I do not say that the cards can be filled 
out perfect. I do claim that when the judge 
scores the birds carefully, thoroughly and con- 
scientiously, the best will win, and a majority 
of the exhibitors will be satisfied. If a judge 
wishes to do any crooked work, he can cover up 
his tracks much better by comparison than by 
scores. "By their cards you can know them." 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 69 

It is black and white for reference. Compari- 
son is no doubt best for large shows, and exper- 
ienced exhibitors. But there's an army of new 
beginners coming to the front every year ; they 
want to show their stock, they want to win at 
the smaller shows. If they cannot win they 
want their birds scored. They will compare 
theirs with the winners and know how far they 
are from getting there. Abolish the score card 
at local and state shows, and you throw away 
your draw card. Criticise the scores if you wish, 
remodel the card if you can make it any better 
or plainer; leave us some method whereby we 
can make a record of our work that will bear 
inspection. 




SEVENTH CHAPTER. 



DISEASES. 



From past experience and the frequency of 
inquiries as to cause and cure of the ailments 
common to the feathered race, we take it that 
sickness and the mortality among fowls is often 
the reason why so many fail to succeed. 

Some will start in during the winter and early 
spring, increasing their flocks as rapidly as 
sitting hens, incubators and brooders will turn 
them out. A good per cent will live and thrive, 
and all is well until they get too big for their 
roosting quarters. They are crowded together 
night after night, and as the season advances, 
lice accumulate, distemper and roup appear. 
The keeper, instead of looking for the cause, 
will begin to dose and doctor the flock, and per- 
haps bury enough of the victims to eat up the 
profits of a season's work. 

It is true you can keep fowls and produce 
chickens at a profit, providing you keep them 
well and thrifty. It isn't so important to learn 
how to cure this and that malady as to know 
how to keep them healthy at all seasons. The 
old saying, " An ounce of prevention," etc., is 
applicable here, and it might be weil to say, 
" Use a pound of preventative and keep an 
ounce of cure on hand in case of emergency. " 

A flock that is continually dosed from Janu- 
ary to December is as susceptible to sickness as 
one that is only condition-powdered at the most 
precarious times. It is a true saying that 
"cleanliness is next to godliness," yet many are 
as loth to apply the former to poultry keeping 
as the latter to themselves. 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 71 

Roup in its first stages is a cold in the head 
and can be cured in two or three days with the 
" Eclipse" Roup Cure. We advise in connec- 
tion to apply vaseline, balsam, orhamamelis to 
the swollen parts. 

Chicken pox is another common disease. 
Wart like excrescences or sores appear on the 
bird's comb, face and head. This seems to be 
contagious and would advise separating those 
affected from the well ones. 

This disease is most prevalent with the varie- 
ties having large combs, and it very seldom 
appears except during the summer months. 
Chicken pox is not a fatal malady, and if 
attended to a cure is easily accomplished. Com- 
mon petroleum vaseline is considered one of the 
best remedies. Two or three applications of 
the tincture of iodine will, in some of the 
worst cases, effect a cure. 

For gapes see page 73. 

Cholera very rarely exists, but the farmer 
who has lost his extire flock by allowing the 
fowls to gorge on waste grain that has become 
spoiled or musty by laying on the ground after 
harvesting, invariably will say, *• Cholera did 
it." We know of an instance where over 100 
healthy fowls were killed by just one feed of 
fermented cracked corn. 

The dust bath in a hen coop is what a bath 
tub is in a human habitation. Some men don't 
know any more than to "wait until summer 
and go into the ribber," yet hens follow the 
dictations of instinct and crave for a dust bath 
every few days. The floor of both roosting 
room and shed should be dry enough tor this 
purpose, not necessarily sand — loam or road dust 
is better. If impossible to do this, put the dust 
in a shallow box where it is light and sunny 
during the day. 

In former years hens died during confinement 
for lack of grit or grinding material, but mod- 
ern thought and investigation comes along with 
the prepared article, and we no longer drug the 
biddies for indigestion when it is new teeth 
they want. Prepared animal foods, cut bone 
and clover replace the lack of natural green 



72 the poulter's guide. 

stuff and insects during the winter months and 
keep the stock healthier, happier and more 
profitable. 

OYSTER SHELLS AND GRIT. 

The shell of an egg contains about fifty grains 
of the salts of lime, or about twenty grains of 
pure uncombined lime, besides the lime that is 
in the mineral matter of the white and yolk. 
The quality of the shell should be considered 
when feeding, by selecting those foods which 
are richest in lime. To produce the shell of 
one egg there is needed one hundred grains of 
lime. 

Repeated experiments have proven that 
oyster shells are not a necessity for shell mater- 
ial, but at the same time valuable as grit. 
The feeding of oyster shells during the laying 
period is to be recommended. One pound of 
crushed oyster shell contains lime enough for 
about seven dozen eggs. Fine gravel contain- 
ing limestone will probably as well supply the 
deficiency of lime existing in most foods, but 
the use of the sharper grits with it may be 
well. 

Long or sharp splinters of glass or dry bone 
should be avoided in the grit furnished. The 
size of the particles of grit had better be larger 
than a kernel of wheat and smaller than a 
kernel of corn. An unlimited supply of well- 
powdered glass has been found to produce no 
bad results where the food and the grit acces- 
sible to the fowls contain an abundance of 
lime; but where the food is deficient in lime, 
and no other grit is obtainable, hens eat an 
injuriously large quantity of glass. There 
should always be an abundance of grit within 
easy reach of the fowls ; a deficiency will retard 
the digestion and weaken the constitution. 

EXERCISE. 

Too much emphasis cannot be given to this 
consideration. Make your hens stratch and 
work. The best methods of giving exercise are 
by scattering the food, and burying it in the 
litter on the floor. While egg-producing fowls 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 73 

may be fed from the hand, as it were, exercise 
will be far more satisfactory in the end. Good 
digestion is an important factor in egg pro- 
ducing, and exercise promotes digestion. 

" CHICKEN POX." 

The affection among fowls commonly called 
by the above name has been decided by experts 
to be caused by parasites. Two or three appli- 
cations of tincture of iodine is considered the 
best treatment, and will usually effect a cure. 

EGGS THAT HATCH WELL. 

Pullets' eggs are not to be relied upon, at 
least not until the pullets are ten or eleven 
months of age. The offspring are weak, and it 
requires the very best of care to raise them. 
But matings of two-year old hens by a vigorous 
one-year old cockerel produce the most fertile 
and strongest eggs. Matings of one-year old 
hens to two-year old cocks are also good. 






LEG WEAKNESS. 

Leg weakness is caused by both too high 
feeding and by too strong bottom heat in the 
brooder. A good remedy is to sprinkle the floor 
of the brooder with water and feed more bone 
meal. Would not advise using brooder which 
is heated at the bottom. 

FEED FOR SITTING HENS. 

We give nothing but whole corn, grit, and 
fresh water. The corn is slow to digest and 
gives needed heat to the body. Grit must not 
be forgotten, as it aids digestion, thus keeping 
the hen in good health. Green feed can be 
given every now and then. The corn and grit 
and water should be constantly on hand, so 
that no matter when the hen comes off the 
nest, her feed and drink are ready for her. 

GAPES — THE CAUSE AND CURE. 

Herewith we give some simple rules for the 
care of young chicks — rules which if strictly 
adhered to will invariably insure a healthy 
flock. But, unfortunately, few people perse- 



74 THE 

vere in good resolutions regarding the poultry 
yard. 

The daily routine becomes tiresome, and 
soon some apparently insignificant neglect is 
allowed, and disease is almost sure to follow. 

One of the first to make its appearance, and 
perhaps the most fatal of all diseases among lit- 
tle chicks, is gapes, which, though, in its strict- 
est sense, can hardly be termed a disease, as 
often the healthiest and sprightliest are the 
first to show symptoms of an attack. 

The assertion that gapes are caused by earth 
worms is the sheerest nonsense, as I have yet 
to see the first case in a brood that hustles 
over the fields in search of bugs and insects. 
Infected chicks are those that stand around 
the kitchen door waiting for the next feeding 
time. An embryo germ is gathered from the 
filthy ground and warmed into life in the 
chick's throat, passing from here into the wind- 
pipe, and by degrees interfering with the chick- 
en's breathing, thus causing that gaping for 
breath which is called gapes, and, which, if 
not promptly removed, will, in a few days, 
cause death from strangulation. 

There are many effectual remedies, the sim- 
plest of which, perhaps, is to put the entire 
brood into a large basket and cover with cloth. 
Then place the basket over a barrel in which a 
few pieces of tobacco are burning, and give 
them a thorough smoking. Do not let them 
smother, but in five or ten minutes they may 
be removed and placed in dry, clean quarters, 
and if necessary repeat next day. 

A few drops of turpentine or kerosene added 
to the drinking water or mixed in the feed will 
act as a preventative for those not affected. 

In severe cases the worms may be removed 
by inserting a feather stripped to within half 
an inch of the end in the windpipe and gently 
withdrawing same. Care must be exercised or 
death may result from choking. After apply- 
ing the remedies feed lightly for a few days, 
giving but little soft feed. Cracked corn and 
wheat are the best; in fact, the chicks will 
thrive better if these are made their principal 






THE POULTER's GUIDE. 75 

food after the first ten days. At three months 
of age all danger of gapes is past, and from 
then to five months old there is little else to 
fear except it be those troublesome pests — body 
lice. 

REMEDY AND PREVENTION. 

Exercise is the best tonic. 

Never feed sour or tainted food. 

High perches cause bumble-foot. 

Keep the drinking fountains clean. 

Clean up the droppings three times a week. 

Feather pulling is a vice caused by over- 
crowding and idleness. 

The majority of cases of 4 ' cholera " are noth- 
ing more than indigestion and lice. 

An ointment made of equal parts of kerosene 
and melted lard will cure scaly legs. 

Never allow a hen with rough scaly legs to 
rear chickens, for she will surely impart the 
disease with them. 

A tablespoonful of kerosene in a quart of 
drinking water is a good remedy for cold in the 
head. 

Put four drops of tincture of aconite in a 
half pint of drinking water, if there are signs of 
cold by sneezing. 

Gapes is a disease that shows itself in chicks 
between six and eight weeks of age, and very 
seldom after four months old. 

To disinfect, clean the coops and then wash 
thoroughly with water containing five ounces 
of sulphuric acid to one gallon. Spade up the 
runs, and scatter carbolate of lime freely about 
the house. 

A small piece of camphor about the size of a 
grain of wheat, daily, and ten drops of camphor 
or turpentine added to a pint of drinking 
water, is a good remedy for the gapes. 

Crop Bound : In extreme cases, open the crop 
by cutting an opening an inch long, drawing 
the skin to one side for the purpose. Do not 
cut too low down. Clean out the contents, 
examine the passage leading to the gizzard, and 
sew up the opening. 






76 THE poulter's guide. 

For swelled eyes, bathe the head with a warm 
solution made by dissolving a teaspoonful of 
powdered boracic acid in a pint of water, and 
then annoint with a few drops of glycerine. 
Eepeat this daily*. 

Roup is a disease affecting the mucous mem- 
brane of the eyes, nostrils, mouth and throat. 
It is at first a cold, and is not a serious thing, 
unless under unfavorable circumstances. It is 
a fall, winter and early spring ailment, and 
very seldom appears during the warm season. 




EIGHTH CHAPTER. 



POULTRY AND DAIRY— CAPONIZING. 



How to Detect a Good Egg from a Bad One. 

In the large end of the egg there is what is 
called the air cavity, or air chamber. It is a 
small space inside the shell, and outside of the 
inner lining, or membrane of the shell. In a 
fresh-laid egg it is about as big around as a 
dime, and an eighth or quarter of an inch 
deep. But in old eggs that have been on hand 
a good while it is larger, and in eggs that have 
been frosted it is also much larger. By hold- 
ing the egg up between the thumb and fore- 
finger, with the large end turned in toward the 
hand and holding it between the eye and a 
bright light, the air cavity can be easily seen 
through the shell. When the cavity is small 
and the egg inside the shell keeps firmly in 
place as it is turned over the egg is fresh, but 
if the air cavity is enlarged and there is a loose, 
watery substance that seems to run about 
within the shell when the egg is turned, it is 
an old egg, or else it has been frosted, and in 
either case it will not hatch. 

If the air cavity is absent entirely and the 
inside of the egg turns about loosely, then the 
inside lining of the shell, together with the 
yolk, is broken and it is either a spoiled egg or 
very soon will be. 

After an egg has been subjected to a few 
days of incubation — about five days — the 
formation of a chicken may be seen under a 
similar test. At first only small red veins, 






78 THE poulter's guide. 

until a dark, central point will be seen, but 
after the eighth or tenth day the veins enlarge 
and increase and the dark spot also appears 
much larger, so as to give about one-fourth of 
the egg inside a dark appearance with red out- 
lines. The movement of the chicken which is 
in process of formation may then be detected. 

The dark spot first seen is the head and eyes 
of the chick, and from that there grows, or 
gradually develops the balance of it. After 
two weeks of incubation the chicken has 
attained a size that gives the inside of the egg 
a dark appearance, through which nothing can 
be seen. Eggs that appear clear and fresh- 
looking maybe rated as unfertile and removed 
after the seventh day. 

In running an incubator, a test of this kind 
is quite necessary, as it is often the case that 
30 or 40 per cent of the eggs should be taken 
out because of unfertility. 

For soft-shell eggs put the hens at work 
scratching, as they indicate that the fowls are 
too fat. Soft eggs, apoplexy, egg-bound, and 
nearly all such diseases, are due to the hens 
being too fat. 

AN TJP-TO DATE CHICKEN CARD— A NOVEL IDEA. 

We copy the following from Western Garden 
and Poultry Journal : 

An exchange says that when neighbors' 
chickens scratch up your garden or flower beds, 
or otherwise annoy you, here is a remedy that 
will cure them every time : Procure a number 
of small stiff cards, about 1x2 inches, write on 
the card, "Please keep your chickens at home." 
Tie a short piece of string to each card, with a 
grain of corn to the other end of the string, and 
scatter these with some corn in the place where 
the chickens congregate. When the hungry 
biddy gobbles up the grain that draws the prize 
she follows up the string, stowing it away until 
she comes to the card, which of course she can't 
swallow. Then you will see her pulling out for 
home, carrying in her mouth the card bearing 
your polite request. 






THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 79 

POULTRY AND DAIRY — HOW MUCH WASTE CAN 
BE CONVERTED INTO PROFIT. 

Professor Myers, of the West Virginia Exper- 
iment Station, would combine the dairy and 
poultry and so insure success on the farm. He 
writes as follows : 

"The poultry business requires no large 
amount of capita], and labor upon the farm 
that would otherwise be idle can very largely 
be utilized in caring for it. The same families 
that take the dairy products 'will be only too 
glad to get the poultry supplies, so that there 
is no additional expense in marketing the sup- 
plies. Every hen, properly cared for, can be 
expected to pay the owner at least $1 net per 
year in eggs and considerable additional, either 
in the form of eggs or of chickens raised for 
sale. Considerable poultry can be kept largely 
upon what would otherwise be waste of the 
dairy business. Buttermilk or skim milk fed to 
hens will pay better than used any other way 
with which I am acquainted. There are wastes 
about the dairy stables which cannot be utilized 
in any way as effectively as by poultry, which 
pick up the lost grain, whether in the manger 
or in the manure pile, and convert it into profit. 

"Poultry properly handled gives the farmer 
a certain and ample income at the time of year 
when dairymen are generally most anxious to 
have the deficiencies of the dairy made good, 
and there is never a time in the year when 
poultry products may not find a fair market. 

"Much of the mixed food for dairy cattle is 
admirably adapted for feeding poultry ; little 
additional building is necessary ; no additional 
help is required. The capital invested in poul- 
try can be withdrawn in a few days by the sale 
of the poultry ; the waste products of the dairy 
are converted into profit, and the combination 
of the poultry industry with the dairy business 
is the most natural, the most attractive and 
perhaps the most profitable adjunct to dairy- 
ing that can be thought of. 

" It is only a step from a general poultry bus- 
iness to the fancy poultry business. For myself 



80 THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 

I prefer the egg producing varieties to the all 
purpose fowl or fowl that is especially adapted 
for killing as meat. In the long run 1 think 
the egg producers more profitable than the 
meat producers, but that is a question of opin- 
ion, and the point is not to keep any fowls upon 
the farm that do not pay a profit to the owner. 
The man who expects to secure both qualities 
in a chicken is like the man who wants a good 
beef and a good dairy cow in the same animal. 
It is best to determine what a man wishes to 
do and work to that end." 

CAPONIZING. 

Capons are aptly termed the "finest chicken 
meat in the world," for there is nothing grow- 
ing feathers their equal or superior. A capon 
is neither rooster or hen— it is nothing else 
than a capon. After removing the testicles 
from the cockerel, its nature becomes entirely 
changed. They take on a more rapid growth, 
are more tame, awkward in carriage and al- 
ways exceedingly lazy, take on a very heavy 
and beautiful plumage, the comb and wattles 
cease to grow, and spurs do not develop as in 
the cockerel, and being cast off by both rooster 
and hen, soon show a fondness for the society 
of little chicks. To these they will act as 
mother, covering them with their heavy plum- 
age at night or leading them about during the 
day. In France this is extensively practiced, 
the capons taking the place of the mother in 
rearing chicks, while the mother, unfettered by 
the cares of her l'amily, soon becomes a layer 
only. France is the foremost nation of the 
globe for bringing much out of little. That 
they universally practice caponizing is a proof 
of the large and successful results to be derived 
from this operation. In poultry raising, as all 
other enterprises, the most successful results 
from certain lines are aimed at, and it is over 
this highly important point that the capon has 
stepped, opening up certainties never before 
dreamed of by the most sanguine. 

" What shall we do with our cockerels ? " has 
ever been a perplexing question to the poultry 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 81 

raiser, as in many settings hatched the male 
predominates. Chasing about the yard, worry- 
ing the hens, continually spoiling for a fight, 
and cutting all kinds of capers in general, the 
cockerel loses his flesh almost as rapidly as 
gained, displayes a voracious appetite, and in 
the end proves the cost of keeping to be far 
more than the price he brings in the market. 

Instead of chasing about the yard, the capon 
keeps his own company and spends each day in 
quiet living. Without the drawback of physical 
exertion the flesh rapidly increases, the bones 
add weight to weight, and where under the old 
way, a farmer would kill an ordinary looking 
cockerel, of but little weight, he now dresses 
for market, a bird rivaling the turkey, in size 
and weight, whose flavor is superior to that of 
the spring broiler, and as tender and juicy. 

Caponizing solves the problem of disposing 
of a large number of cockerels whose diminu- 
tive size is small inducement to the dealer. 
Caponize the chicks and you have at once laid 
the foundation for a handsome profit, in a 
short time to come. Outside of the cardinal 
points of profit the simplicity of the operation 
(when proper instruments are used), recom- 
mends itself to everyone. A boy ten years old 
can readily perform the operation, and any one 
can soon become an expert. Fully realizing 
the necessity of having proper instruments, we 
have arranged with reliable manufacturers to 
supply us with these tools. 

The principles of caponizing as practiced by 
the Chinese are unexcelled, although the 
instruments are crude indeed. In our instru- 
ments, the principles have been so perfected as 
to insure both ease and perfect safety in per- 
forming the operation. 



The cat that catches birds is apt to take 
chicks. Watch her. 

Have a lock on the poultry house door. "A 
stitch in time," etc. 

Start at the bottom round of the ladder, and 
gradually go to the top. 



82 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



PHILADELPHIA 
CAPONIZING SET 




The finest set of instruments, complete with 
instructions, $2.50. In velvet lined case as per 
engraving, $2.75. We send book, " Complete 
Guide for Caponizing," with every set. 

Address all orders to the 

Des Moines Incubator Co., 

Des Moines, Iowa. 



LITTLE BITS. 

(Prom "A Few Hens.") 

Start small. 

Cull closely. 

Put in a crop of rye. 

Buy your stock now. 

Inbreeding is a crime. 

Keep a diary of events. 

" Keep pegging away." 

Keep a good watch dog. 

Prepare for winter eggs. 

Filth is a stumbling block. 

Profit by your own experience. 

Beware of the man who knows it all. 

Don't winter stock that will be of no use. 

Have the hawks and rats visited your farm ? 

Middle-toe feathering don't give any more 



eggs. 



NINTH CHAPTER. 



ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION. 



Moisture and Ventilation from a Scien- 
tific Standpoint— Testing Eggs— Best 
Location for an Incubator. 




HEN EGG. 

The amount of moisture given is always indi- 
cated by the size of the air cell. To see cell use 
tester. 

Figures show correct average air cell during 
incubation. Figure 5, first day ; figure 10, tenth 
day, etc. To increase the size of air cells open 
ventilators and run with little or no water. 
To retard development of air cell give full pan 
surface of water and close ventilators. But do 



84 THE poulter's guide. 

not close ventilators entirely, as the machine 
must have some ventilation. By using the 
tester you can see the size of the air cell at any 
time. 

Moisture is the rock upon which many an in- 
cubator has gone to pieces. A proper amount 
of moisture is as essential as a proper amount 
of heat. The moisture or air saturation is 
effected by the size of the opening of the venti- 
lators on top of the machine or the amount of 
pan surface exposed in the machine. A wide 
opening of the slide will reduce ; a small open- 
ing will increase the moisture. We do not 
advise the use of a hydrometer, as they are 
unreliable. 

After an experience of five years we have dis- 
continued the use of moisture gauges, as 
machines are put in so many different places. 
We are unable to procure a moisture gauge that 
will work under the various conditions in which 
the machines are placed. 

In starting the incubator give no moisture 
until the cells appear to be growing too large. 
There is no danger of drying up the eggs in a 
few days. Incubators located in a cellar hardly 
ever need moisture until the eggs begin to pip, 
and if any moisture shows on the glass door 
they do not need it then. When you put moist- 
ure pans in fill with lukewarm water. Clear, 
thin-shelled eggs will require more moisture 
than dark, thick-shelled eggs. The only abso- 
lute test is the size of the air cell in the end of 
the egg. This cell should be one-fourth to one 
fifth the contents of the egg by the pipping 
period. After the bird pips it enlarges and fre- 
quently no cell can be seen, although twelve 
hours before it was plainly visible. In a dry 
location if no moisture was supplied the egg 
would dry up, while if the air was saturated at 
all times no cell would appear. Moisture is not 
supplied to soften the shell That is a delusion. 
It is furnished to prevent the air cells from 
becoming too great. The operator will soon 
notice thin porous shells dry down rapidly, 
while thick shells are slow about it. A general 
average will have to be struck. The purpose 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 85 

of the air cell is to allow the chick room to 
expand its lungs and work its head around in 
breaking the shell. If sufficient room is not 
given the bird soon dies. Chickens should 
begin to hatch on the nineteenth day and all 
be out at the end of twenty-one days. Ducks 
twenty-six to twenty-eight days. Keep the 
doors closed when hatching. Remember that 
every time you open the door moisture escapes 
at the very time the chicks need it the most. 

If a chick can not get out by its own efforts 
leave it in the shell, as it would never amount 
to any thing anyway. In the new design Suc- 
cessful machine the chicks and ducks are 
dropped below as soon as hatched and left until 
the hatch is over. The bottom of the machine 
should be covered with chaff or wheat bran and 
always cleaned out after each hatch is over. 
We use moisture pans above the egg trays so 
the chicks can not get into them and drown. 
Some people will not follow directions. They 
have their own theories in regard to artificial 
incubation, and then if they fail to get a good 
hatch the machine is blamed for not fulfilling 
their expectations. Many chickens die in the 
shell from improper ventilation. Air can not 
be seen and measured. The operator needs a 
little experience before the proper amount can 
be given. Too much moisture is nearly always 
given under the mistaken notion that moisture 
is what makes the downy balls pop out. Mis- 
taken kindness. Eggs pip but are wedged fast 
in the shell and can not move. In very bad 
cases chickens get out of the shell but fail to 
absorb all the yolk and this sticks. Then the 
poor chicken, in moving around, pulls out its 
bowels. After several get out in this manner 
the tray presents a horrible appearance. Shells 
present a sticky appearance with white and 
green deposits after birds hatch. When chicks 
are very much shriveled and small, and air space 
very large, not enough moisture has been given. 
In a large number of cases poor hatches are 
caused by poorly fertilized eggs and the incu- 
bator gets all the blame. Eggs laid in cold 
weather in the winter months are seldom 



86 THE poulter's guide. 

properly fertilized. Eggs from birds in poor 
condition or in confinement may start to hatch 
but not having sufficient vitality they will die 
in an incubator or under a hen. 

As we stated before, no rule can belaid down 
in regard to moisture that will suit every case, 
but in nearly every case when an incubator is 
operated in a cellar, as it should be, it will not 
require any moisture until the eggs begin to 
pip, and in many cases not then. 

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE INCUBATOR OPERATOR. 

Never set an incubator in the sunlight, or 
where there is a draft or current of air. Any 
variation of temperature between 101 and 105 
is injurious, and if continued any length of 
time will kill the chicks, although a temper- 
ature of 108 to 110 for two or three hours will 
not kill the chicks, but will injure the per 
cent of hatch. Low temperature, on the con- 
trary, will not kill, but will prolong the hatch 
and make the chickens weak. The chickens 
should all be out by the twenty-first day, the 
same as with a hen. If the machine is mis- 
managed in any way the hatch will be pro- 
longed and the results poor. When the chicks 
begin to hatch let them alone. Do not assist 
them from the shell. Do not open the door 
oftener than is necessary, as the cold air on the 
damp chicks may kill them. Do not remove 
the chicks till the down is dry. It is not neces- 
sary to remove them at night. Turn the eggs 
twice daily after the second day up till the 
eighteenth. It is an excellent plan in turning 
the eggs to change the place of trays by putting 
right hand on the left side and vice versa, so 
that all the eggs at different times may be both 
in the center and on the outer edges of the egg 
chamber. 

If the chicks begin to hatch on the evening 
of the eighteenth day too much heat has been 
carried. If they do not begin to hatch until 
the twenty-first day tbe heat was run too low. 
Turn away the curious visitor while the hatch 
is going on. Use moisture sparingly. Never 
sprinkle the eggs. 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 87 

USUAL QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 

How often should the tank be filled? 

One filling will do for a whole season by add- 
ing just enough at the end of each hatch to 
make up for evaporation. 

When is the best time to make the first test? 

Some test on the fourth day, some on the fifth, 
but our rule is to test on the seventh day, it 
being the completion of the first week. 

Could not eggs be added at different times 
after the machine is started ? 

No ; the eggs would chill those already 
started and the conditions are different during 
the period of incubation. 

Why does the temperature have a tendency 
to go up after the seventeenth day ? 

Because of self heat produced from life with- 
in the egg. At this time the lamp flame should 
not be so strong. 

When should the egg be turned for the first ? 

On the second day. 

When do you stop turning them. 

On the eighteenth day. 

Is there any difference in hatching duck eggs 
from the plans given for hatching hen's eggs? 

No; with the exception that duck eggs re- 
quire more air, because they are larger. When 
turning cool a little longer than you would hen 
eggs. 

What is the right temperature for brooder 
when young chicks are first put in? 

Ninety-five degrees and a gradual reduction 
as the chicks grow older. 

Why does moisture show on the door of the 
incubator ? 

If run in a cool room, the moist air of the 
machine will condense on the glass. 

What causes the chicks to die in the shell ? 

Improper ventilation, too much moisture, 
overheat, too low temperature, old eggs, too fat 
breeding stock, diseased stock, in-bred stock, 
and in fact, anything that will lower the vital- 
ity of the fowls or the eggs before and after in- 
cubation. 

In winter the hen will not hatch but one-half 
of her eggs, nor raise one-third of her chicks. 



88 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



Do not use extra large eggs or the smallest 
ones. Have all of normal size, and of perfect 
shape. 

Do not hatch ducklings and chicks together. 

No matter how much you read, experience 
will be your best teacher. 

For further information address with stamps 
to Des Moines Incubator Co., 

Des Moines, Iowa. 



TESTING THE EGGS, 



Fig. 1 shows a strong, fertile egg after the 
sixth day of incubation. Keep the thermom- 
eter on eggs like this one. 

Fig. 2 shows a weak or imperfectly fertilized 
egg at the end of the first week. Throw out all 
eggs of this kind. 

Fig. 3 shows a stale or spoiled egg at the 
end of the first week. It should be thrown out. 







THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



89 





90 THE 

The principal object of testing is to watch 
the development of the air cell and to remove 
bad or dead eggs. By keeping out dead or 
unfertile eggs the operator runs no risk of get- 
ting the thermometer on a cold egg and over- 
heating the live ones. The removal also aids 
in keeping the air pure. 

The germ of a duck egg can be seen in 
thirty-six hours by shading the egg with the 
hand when held up to the light. Duck eggs 
should be tested frequently, as they decay very 
rapidly and create a bad odor in the machine. 
To test the eggs remove the tray from the 
machine and close the door. Testing will not. 
injure them if the hands are free from any 
greasy substance. Use tester in dark room on 
an ordinary hand lamp in place of glass chim- 
ney. 

Contrary to what some people think, all eggs 
will not hatch. The percentage of a hatch is 
the number of chicks from the fertile eggs, not 
from the number of eggs placed in the machine. 
It frequently occurs that eggs are fertile, but 
the germ is so weak that it will seldom live 
after the tenth day. Eggs should be tested on 
the seventh day and again on the fourteenth 
day. A strong germ will show a small black 
spot with red veins radiating in all directions, 
and will present the appearance of cut No. 1 
on the seventh day. Addled eggs will show 
cloudy, detached black spots floating in the 
egg without any veins attached. (See cut No. 
2.) A circular red line will be found in such 
eggs, and they must be removed or foul odors 
will be the result. Cut No. 3 shows a stale or 
spoiled egg at the end of the first week. An 
unfertile egg will be perfectly clear and nearly 
as good as a fresh egg for cooking purposes, at 
the end of the first week, and will not rot if 
left in the incubator three weeks. Eggs should 
be thoroughly tested for an unfertile one will 
show two or three degrees less heat during the 
last part of incubation than a fertile egg, and 
by having the thermometer on an unfertile egg 
you may be running the heat so high as to 
injure the hatch. On the tenth or twelfth day 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 91 

the chick begins to move and the egg is entirely 
opaque excepting a small space in end called 
the air cell. The latter varies in size according 
to the amount of moisture and ventilation used 
during incubation. By setting eggs under hens 
at the same time, an excellent idea of the 
proper size of this air cell may be obtained by 
comparing them every few days. A study of 
nature's methods will do much to help the 
operator of an incubator. 

BEST LOCATION FOR INCUBATORS. 

A good cellar is considered one of the best 
places to run an incubator. 

Our next choice of location would be in a 
basement room. Good work can be done in any 
inclosure that is free from foul odor, mold, 
or dampness, and sufficiently secure that sud- 
den changes of the weather will not easily 
affect the inside temperature. Many prefer a 
cave, made especially for the purpose, and often 
high per cent hatches are made in such incis- 
ures. The greatest difficulty with incubator 
caves, is to overcome dampness. Care should 
be taken that the excavation is made on ground 
naturally dry, and with good drainage, sloping 
to the south. The walls inside should be pro- 
tected with either cement or stone, and some 
provision made for a little ventilation. An 
inclosure of that kind is another excellent 
place in which to operate an incubator. 

However, some pay very little attention to 
the location. We know of many instances 
where results have been splendid and the 
machine run in the kitchen. Again we have 
had brought to our notice remarkable results 
where the hatching was done in a garret, in a 
three-story building. 

While a nicely arranged incubator room or 
cave affords advantages and convenience, the 
best hatches are not always secured in such 
places. The method of operating is of equal 
importance. 

Never set an incubator in a location where 
the sunlight shines upon it, or where it is sub- 
jected to drafts of air. 






92 THE poulter's guide. 



VENTILATION FOR INCUBATORS. 
(From our Direction Book.) 

Don't labor under the mistaken idea that a 
current of air must be constantly rushing 
through the incubator chamber. Too much 
air admitted to the eggs will dry them up too 
rapidly. Too little ventilation will cause the 
chicks within the eggs to develop too fast and 
the air cell will become entirely closed. With 
no room to expand its lungs, or move its head 
to break the shell, the chicks will die, appar- 
ently fully matured. The proper amount of 
ventilation will depend on the condition of the 
weather, the season of the year, and also where 
the machine is being operated. When the 
weather is warm, and during the summer sea- 
son, give more ventilation, and a less amount 
through winter and early spring. Watch the 
air cell by examining with egg tester every 
other day after first week. Select four or five 
from different parts of each tray, which will 
give you their average condition. It does not 
injure the eggs to handle them, providing the 
hands are free from grease and perspiration. 
The air saturation or moisture is affected by 
the size of the opening of the ventilator. With 
the slide opened full the air space within the 
egg grows larger, while if only a small amount 
of ventilation is admitted it grows smaller. 
Therefore the safest and best rule for the guid- 
ance of the operator, as to ventilation and 
moisture, is to become familiar with the amount 
of air space needed within the egg and watch it 
carefully. In a perfectly tight machine, with 
the ventilators closed throughout the hatch and 
no attention paid to cooling the eggs, the strong- 
est germs would notlivelonger than the fifteenth 
day. 

TO START AN INCUBATOR. 
(From our Direction Book.) 

The first important point necessary for a good 
hatch is fresh, fertile eggs. 

Eggs three weeks old, when properly cared 
for, that is, kept in moist, cool, airy places, set 
on end and turned every day, will hatch well, 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 93 

but not as well as fresh ones. If it is necessary 
to keep the eggs for some time before they can 
be put in the incubator, pack them in an egg 
case, nail on the cover and place it in the cool- 
est corner of your cellar, where the atmosphere 
is pure and the temperature from 50° to 65°. 
Turn the case over every day. 

For your incubator select such eggs as you 
would use for setting under hens. Should the 
eggs be soiled, remove all dirt with a clean cloth 
and warm water, free from soap or grease. 

Put all eggs in at one time and complete the 
hatch. The trays full or part full, that is im- 
material. 

Eggs cannot be incubated successfully by 
adding them at different times in any machine 
— not even under the old hen. 

Don't attempt to hatch hen eggs, duck eggs 
and turkey eggs all at the same time. Some 
think an incubator ought to do this, and fill in 
the corners with bantam eggs besides. One 
kind at one time will work best. 

When you have all the eggs in the trays for 
this hatch, place the thermometer three or 
four rows back from the front with face out- 
ward, slightly inclined with the bulb between 
the eggs, just a trifle above their centers or its 
upper edge on a level with top surface of the 
eggs. Never place the instrument in a stand- 
ing (vertical) position in any incubator. 

When the machine is first filled with eggs, 
the temperature will go down and will require 
from six to ten hours' time for it to come back 
to 102 ; but bear in mind that it must not be 
hurried by increasing the lamp flame. The 
heat must raise gradually. 

For the first four days run the temperature 
from 102 to 103 ; after that time keep the heat 
at as near 103 as possible, but be sure it does 
not fall below that point after the nineteenth 
day. Test on the seventh day, and leave out 
all eggs that are perfectly clear, also those that 
are dark and cloudy. 



94 THE poulter's guide. 

NUMBER OF DAYS REQUIRED FOR HATCHING 
DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF EGGS. 

Chickens 21 Swans 38 

Pheasants 25 Pea Fowls 28 

Ducks 28 Partidges 24 

Geese 30 Guinea Fowls 25 

Turkeys 28 Ostriches 42 

THE POSITION OF THE THERMOMETER WHILE 
HATCHING. 

When operating your incubator it is impor- 
tant that the thermometer bulb lies- against 
fertile eggs, or rather between two fertile eggs, 
with its top about on a level with their upper 
surface. An unfertile egg or one containing a 
dead germ is colder than one having a living 
embryo, and such eggs are liable to mislead 
the operator as to the correctness of the heat 
being carried. An egg containing a dead germ 
will soon decay, and the odor it will create in 
the machine will be very offensive if not inju- 
rious to the other eggs. 

When the chicks begin to hatch, do not open 
the doors oftener than is necessary, as it allows 
the moist heat to escape when it is needed 
most. In our Successful incubators when the 
chicks become strong enough to run about they 
will soon find the openings in the tray or the 
space between the trays which will admit them 
to the nursery underneath, where they can 
remain comfortably until the other eggs are 
hatched. We have found that it is an advan- 
tage to the chicks to let them remain in the 
incubator at least twenty-four hours. 

IN CASE OF ACCIDENT 

from any cause, should the heat in the egg 
chamber go to 110 or 112, don't imagine your 
hatch is ruined. Remove trays from the 
machine and cover them with a clean cloth, 
first dipping it in warm water and ringing out 
just so it will not drip. Cool the eggs down to 
about 85°, leaving the doors of the machine 
open while cooling in this case. 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 95 

TURNING AND COOLING THE EGGS. 

While hatching turn every twelve hours, 
commencing on the morning of the second day. 

Stop turning and cooling hen eggs on the 
evening of the eighteenth day. Duck eggs on 
the twenty-fifth day. Commence to cool on the 
morning of the fourth day, by removing the 
trays and closing the doors of the machine. 
Avoid placing the trays where a draught of air 
will pass over them. Have thermometer in 
same position as before removing the trays, 
and cool down to about 90. By careful obser- 
vation we have found it best not to cool below 
that point. At first the eggs will lose their 
heat in a very few minutes, but as the hatch 
advances they hold the heat longer and will 
require more time to cool. During the months 
of April and May it will often prove beneficial 
to leave the trays out of the machine thirty- 
five or forty minutes on the seventeenth day. 
Cooling and turning should be done at the 
same time. If it requires ten minutes to cool 
the eggs, turn them after the trays have been 
out of the machine five minutes. 

INCUBATORS AND BROODERS COMBINED. 

They look very attractive, that's all. If you 
are taking up the poultry business on that 
score we have no further argument to offer ; 
but if you expect to combine profit and success 
with it we would not advise you to combine the 
brooder with the incubator. To make both 
machines profitable, they must be operated 
under entirely different conditions, different 
locations and different temperatures. 



TENTH CHAPTER. 



Shipping Breeding Stock — An Ostrich 
Fight — The Proper Way to Arrange 
Hen's Nest — Value of Good Blood — 
Value in Clover. 

We publish the following, as it comes from ac- 
tual experience, and contains matter that will 
prove valuable to the amateur : 

A SUCCESSFUL SEASON. 
(E. O. Roeselle in Country Gentleman.) 

A successful breeding season is the delight of 
the poultryman's heart. Whether the season 
just finishing has been up to the mark with the 
majority is impossible to say. We hear rumors 
that eggs have not hatched out over well, yet 
this is an annual complaint, and but little at- 
tention should be paid to it. With all the ad- 
vantages of modern incubation, both natural 
and artificial, and the better understanding 
with regard to the care of the old stock, eggs 
should be as fertile one year as another, and 
they should hatch equally well. Some seasons 
hens are inclined to sit early and others late, 
but as we are no longer dependent upon the 
whims of Mistress Biddy, it is the breeder's 
fault alone if he refuses to use an incubator 
and waits for tardy hen to make up her mind 
to hatch him some chicks. I will venture to 
say that the breeders who use incubators and 
know how to run them successfully utter fewer 
complaints about poor hatches than the con- 
servative hen men. 



97 

Artificial incubation is undergoing changes 
every season, and improvements are constantly 
being made, not so much by the inventor, but 
by the operator. In fact, the operators usually 
make valuable suggestions gratis to the manu- 
facturers, and they are gladly accepted and 
added to the revised catalogues. The stum- 
bling blocks of a very few years ago have been 
removed, and to-day, and rather during this 
hatching season, the machine men have had 
many advantages and better opportunities for 
greater success than the last. The two great 
points of moisture in the machines and heat in 
the brooders have not yet been thoroughly 
tested to satisfy the majority. 

A few remarks on my own season — the most 
successful I ever had — may be of benefit to the 
discouraged ones. To begin with, I discarded 
the hen as a sitter and hatcher last year and 
made up my mind I had had trouble enough 
with her, and hence I used machines entirely. 
I shall not write a record of my season, but 
simply give a few points, which I consider led 
to my success. First, I used no moisture what- 
ever in my machines. My hatches averaged 
about 88 per cent of all fertile eggs. After the 
chicks were all out, I left them thirty-six 
hours in bottom of machines, and some hatches 
as long as forty-eight hours. The result of this 
was strong, active, hungry youngsters, ready to 
stand the change to the brooder and strong 
enough to keep their legs under them and 
ready to eat at once. Every hatch was removed 
at night to the brooder and started at 90 
degrees. The next day they all remained almost 
constantly outside of the hover in the indoor 
runs and were ready for their feed every three 
hours. The second night I made it a practice 
to reduce the heat to 85 degrees, and kept 
it so generally for one week, some times 
a little less than a week. On the fourth 
day I let them outdoors, to run in and out 
freely, and found they would invariably cover 
the entire length of the outdoor run (twenty- 
five feet) almost continually. I must state, 
however, that my first hatch was not placed in 



98 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



the brooder until about April 1st ; hence the 
weather was suitable for outdoor exercise. 

My feed was the same I had used for two pre- 
vious years — corn cake, with the addition of 
bone meal and a handful of small sized grit to 
every mess, thus compelling them to eat a little 
of the grit with the food. Instead of feeding 
every two hours, I fed about every three, and 
sometimes at longer intervals, taking pains to 
note that they were quite hungry before feed- 
ing them. Keeping them hungry compelled 
them to exercise and helped to keep them 
healthy. After one week, I fed them small 
grain and sifted cracked corn and reduced the 
corn cake food to morning and night feed I 
gave them green food usually the second day 
and continued it daily — first oats, grown in 
pans, and then, as soon as obtainable, lettuce. 
Charcoal and water were always before them ; 
also a box of chick grit. 

The result of the above system gave me strong, 
active chicks, and less bowel trouble than I 
ever hoped to see in any flock. In fact, I have 
had so little of this trouble that it has been 
hardly noticeable. 

At the end of the week, the heat in the hover 
was reduced to 75 degrees, and kept so until 
they were five weeks old, when they were shut 
out entirely from the heat and hover and left 
at night in the indoor runs ; and if the weather 
proved to be warm, the windows were left open 
all night. The indoor runs are six feet long; 
hence the chicks were about six feet or less from 
the open windows and sufficiently protected. 

To follow the course I pursued after the 
chicks were five weeks old, I placed them in the 
upper end of the brooder house where they had 
the run of two or three acres free. Later I 
separated them, dividing them into flocks of 15 
or 20, and placed them in drygoods boxes for 
coops, giving them free range and feeding them 
three times a day — a mash in the morning, and 
whole grain noon and night, all they could eat. 
At present I have about fifteen hundred very 
strong, active chicks, of different ages, but all 
healthy and fine in every way. 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 99 

I tried an experiment with my last hatch, 
which came off July 2. As the weather began 
to get hot and I did not care to run my brooder- 
house stove to accommodate 78 chicks, I shut off 
the heat entirely when they were six days old, 
and they did not suffer any bad effects, nor did 
I lose one of them. They are all alive to-day, 
July 12, and no sign of bowel trouble or any 
other sickness. These were let out of doors 
when but two days old, and did as they pleased 
running in and out. 

I attribute my success to attention to the 
following points : 

1. Keeping chicks in machine at least 36 
hours after all were hatched. 

2. Feeding only when hungry and not too 
much. 

3. Grit and bone meal mixed with all soft 
feed from the first day. 

4. Reducing heat in brooder as quickly as 
possible and as soon as chicks could stand it. 

5. Plenty of fresh air and exercise and as 
soon as possible after being placed in brooder, 
weather permitting. 

My method has given me the strongest lot of 
chicks I have ever had. My mortality has been 
remarkably small. 

When my brooder contained twelve hundred 
chicks I would throw out perhaps two or three 
dead ones each day. Just as soon as they had 
a more extended run and were separated and 
given free range, to find a dead chick was a sur- 
prise. 

I do not consider that my success is phenom- 
enal or that my system is at all extraordinary. 
It was all based on common sense and judg- 
ment. Many other breeders may have done 
better, but I know a few who did not do as well 
and it is for the latter that my experience is 
written. Beginners are too much the slaves of 
book instruction ; they become automatons and 
do not exercise any sense or judgment. What 
will succeed with one man will fail with 
another. Experiments may be expensive, but 
they are our best teachers. 



100 THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 

Incubators run best in cellars, but all cellars 
are not alike ; hence one needs to experiment 
with his own to understand its qualities, espe- 
cially as to dryness or moisture. Mine happens 
to be a trifle damp; therefore, my machines 
run best without moisture, and with slides wide 
open from beginning to end of hatch, except 
during pipping stage, when they were closed 
two-thirds. All hot water piped brooders are 
similar. By raising or lowering of the floor of 
the hover I can raise or lower the heat of the 
chicks; bringing them close or dropping them 
away from the pipes. The food question is a 
personal study. If chicks grow and thrive con- 
tinually from the start, then the food is right, 
no matter what is used. If you are annoyed 
with bowel trouble, then the food or heat, or 
both, are to blame. Chicks will never become 
chilled if they have suitable heat. I consider 
that too hot brooders have killed more chickens 
than all the food used by the whole world of 
breeders. If chicks become accustomed to less 
heat gradually they will grow strong enough to 
do without it entirely in a few weeks. This is 
especially true from April on during the regu- 
lar hatching season. 

To those who have had poor hatches and have 
failed to raise the survivors, my experience may 
be of benefit for another season. Do not sell 
your machines ; if they are of the standard 
make and reputation, try them once more. If 
your brooders have failed to work experiment 
with them and make them work. Use practi- 
cal common sense and let theory and fairy tales 
alone, and perhaps your next season may be 
your best. 

We are inclined to believe that Mr. Eoessle 
would find it necessary to carry a little higher 
temperature for brooding chicks during the 
colder seasons; 70 to 80 degrees of heat is not 
sufficient to prevent young chicks from "piling 
up " during the early spring months. 

Djes Moines Incubator Co. 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 101 

THE VENTILATION SCOURGE. 

If there is one error in poultry keeping 
supreme over all others it is what is called 
ventilation. In our experience we have yet 
failed to find a single person who rode this 
hobby who has not done more harm to his flocks 
than has resulted from the cholera, roup, or 
other diseases. We may, however not be far 
wrong when classing ventilation and roup as 
twins, for, as a rule, where there is plenty of 
ventilation there is plenty of roup. Just how 
the theory was ever launched forth, that a 
flock of hens would suffocate in a warm and 
comfortable poultry house is more than we can 
learn. 

SHIPPING BREEDING STOCK. 

First of all measure the fowls to be shipped, 
and give them plenty of room to stand erect 
and move about. Make a light frame with floor 
of quarter inch stuff, and cover ends, one side 
and top with burlap or strong muslin well 
tacked on. Put feed hopper in one corner at 
least six inches high, and water cup outside in 
front, where the fowls can reach it between 
upright slats. Use chaff or straw on the floor. 
If the fowls are going a long distance a small 
bag of gravel should be provided. These sugges- 
tions are intended to apply only to shipments 
by express on land. For shipment by water an 
entirely different style and make of coop should 
be used. Young chicks, broilers, should be 
shipped to market in neat wooden crates, suf- 
ficiently high to allow the birds to stand erect. 
Twenty to twenty-five should be the greatest 
number put in one inclosure. 

AN OSTRICH FIGHT. 

Two of the largest ostriches at the Norwalk 
ostrich farm yesterday fell out about some- 
thing. They were together in the same corral, 
and at once set to work to annihilate each 
other. The battle was a bloody one, and will 
probably result in the death of one of them, 
called "The Marquis." 



102 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 



As soon as the birds commenced fighting 
their keeper tried to separate them, but met 
the usual fate of a peacemaker, receiving a 
dangerous kick on the leg. The "high kick- 
ers" then continued their fight, and it was not 
until "The Marquis" was severely wounded 
and hardly able to stand up that he gave up, 
and it is extremely doubtful whether he will 
survive. There are now on the Norwalk farm 
150 full grown birds, and fights between the old 
cocks frequently occur, but seldom with such 
dangerous results. The value of the wounded 
bird is about $125. — Los Angeles Times, February 
25th. 



A PROPER AND CONVENIENT ARRANGEMENT 

FOR NESTING. 




One of the most important fixtures con- 
nected with a poultry house is the arrangement 
of nest boxes, and we doubt if a more complete 
or convenient device could be made than the 
one illustrated herewith. 

The long box with sloping top is stationed 
against the wall inside the poultry house, about 
eighteen inches above the floor. 

The hen enters the alley, takes possession of 
one of the darkened nests, and apparently has 
no desire of seeking a more secluded spot. The 
darkness of the nests will prevent egg-eating. 

The eggs are gathered by lifting the cover. 
The convenience of this sectional nest box can 
be improved by attaching the front board to 



103 

hinges at the bottom, then it can be be let 
down and the different apartments can be 
cleaned.out. 

If you provide plenty of nests in a dark place 
you will not be troubled with hens stealing 
their nests out. 

Carbolic acid and coal oil are no friends of 
lice, at least the lice never keep company with 
these parties. 

VAUTE OF GOOD BLOOD. 

October and November is the season of the 
year when you should cull out the fowls in- 
tended for market and reduce your flock to the 
number you intend to winter. In the first 
place, if you have just the common barn-yard 
fowls, you should dispose of every male bird on 
the place, and replace them with a required 
number early hatched thoroughbred cockerels 
or yearling cocks. Decide what breed you pre- 
fer. If your aim is to produce eggs, get the 
Minorca or Leghorn males; if general purposes, 
the Plymouth Rocks or Wyandottes; or if heavy- 
weight market fowls, Light Brahma, Indian 
Game or Langshan. Send to some reliable 
breeder and get your birds, then stick to it and 
you will soon have a flock of fowls that you and 
your neighbors will be proud of, and your 
increased receipts will pay the cost of the new 
brood many times over. 

While on this subject we would like to relate 
an incident that occurred within our own 
observation. Two years ago last spring we per- 
suaded a farmer friend who had a splendid loca- 
tion for raising fowls, and whose wife was very 
successful in their raising, but who had none 
but the common barn-yard fowls, to get rid of 
all the males and purchase six good Indian 
Game cockerels, paying $12 for them. In the 
following October he made this report : He had 
penned up eight dozen of the largest cockerels 
for a huckster who had bought his surplus for 
years, without seeing the fowls, but knowing 
what they had been in past years. The huck- 
ster offered to pay either twenty-five cents 
each, or seven cents per pound. They were sold 



104 THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 

by weight and netted forty-one cents each, or a 
clear profit of $15.36 on the lot, due to the cross 
with good males. This one lot more than paid 
for the six cockerels, and the permanent bene- 
fit on the remainder of the flock was many times 
as much more. 

GREAT VALUE IN CLOVER. 

Many poultrymen fail to realize the value in 
rowen cut clover as a feed for their stock during 
the winter season. 

It should be of the second crop, cut while 
green and tender. Carefully preserve all the 
leaves and blossoms, and when cured store it 
away in a clean dry place, or pack it in barrels. 

To feed it properly it should be cut fine. At 
night scald it in a tub or bucket by pouring 
boiling water over it, then cover well with an 
old blanket or carpet, and let stand over night. 
In the morning it will be still warm, and possess 
a savory odor that will almost tempt you to eat 
it yourself. 

After scalding over night, to every bucketful 
of cut hay add one pint of ground corn, one 
pint of ground oats, one quart of wheat bran, 
and just enough salt to season. Mix well. Feed 
in a trough so arranged that it will prevent 
the fowls from getting into it, and give them 
all they will eat once a day. 

The above mentioned amount will feed about 
30 matured fowls, and they will relish it highly. 
ISo other green food will be necessary. A half 
pint of wheat scattered in the litter will induce 
the flock to indulge in that necessary exercise 
which aids so much in keeping them healthy. 

We can assure you that if the clover feed is 
tried one season it will not be discontinued. 



ELEVENTH CHAPTER. 



Selling Preserved Eggs — Buying Eggs — 
Keeping Scrubs. 

preserving eggs. 

After experimenting with several different 
methods of preserving eggs for winter use and 
for market, we are convinced that simply pack- 
ing in salt is the easiest and best method for 
housekeepers who desire to put down a few 
dozens for winter use, and poultry keepers who 
have only a barrel, or two or three barrels to 
pack for the market. They may be packed in 
anything that is clean and handy — boxes, 
barrels, jars, tubs, pails, etc. The eggs for this 
method of preserving, as for all others, should 
be fresh, clean and uncracked. Cover the bot- 
tom of the barrel, or whatever you pack in, 
with salt ; upon this place the eggs, on end, and 
far enough apart so that they will not touch 
each other, or the sides of the barrel ; then put 
on another layer of salt, then another layer of 
eggs, and so on until the box or barrel is full. 
Keep them in the cellar and do not turn the 
package as some poultry writers recommend. 
When the eggs are packed on ends as they 
should be, the turning of the package upside 
down every few days is not only useless work, 
but it is positively injurious to the eggs. We 
have tried both ways and know whereof we 
write. 

We have kept eggs thus packed from the 
middle of April until the middle of October in 
a cellar where the temperature ranged from 50 
to 60 degrees and they were good, every one of 
them, at the expiration of that time. 



106 THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 

The item of salt enough to pack several bar- 
rels of eggs looks large on the debit side of the 
account and probably the cost of salt is one of 
the reasons why the method is not more gener- 
ally used ; but after all, the salt method is not 
so expensive in the long run as it seems at first 
thought, for the same salt can be used over and 
over again. The grade of salt used is that 
known'as coarse fine. 

Eemove all males from the yards when eggs 
are desired for packing. Contrary to what 
some may think, the production will be just as 
great, but they will not hatch. 

ABOUT SELLING PRESERVED EGGS. 

Don't hold them too long. It is usually bet- 
ter to sell in November and December than to 
wait longer. You certainly should not hold 
preserved eggs until February and a long into 
March, as we have known some inexperienced 
packers to do. After the middle of January 
the price of preserved eggs go down hill in pro- 
portion as fresh eggs come into market. And 
don't try to sell your preserved eggs for any- 
thing except just what they are. When you 
send a consignment to your commission mer- 
chant mark the packages plainly, "Preserved 
eggs," and in the letter which always should be 
sent when the eggs are shipped or one mail be- 
fore, you should also state that they are pre- 
served. Of course the men who inspect the 
eggs upon arrival' will know as soon as they see 
them that they are not fresh laid, but your 
stating in the letter that they are preserved, 
and so marking the package, will show that 
you are honest and not trying to pass off pre- 
served eggs as fresh. 

When shipping by express it is advisable to 
put a duplicate of the letter sent by mail in one 
of your packages and mark this package " bill," 
on outside. This letter of advice holds good 
when you are shipping anything, fresh eggs, 
preserved eggs, dressed poultry or any kind of 
produce to be sold by a commission house, for it 
vexes commission men to receive a consignment 
without instructions. 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 107 

Every year or two some one who is anxious to 
make a living without honestly working for it, 
advertises some " new and infallible recipe" 
which they claim will preserve eggs for any 
length of time so perfectly that no one can tell 
them from fresh laid eggs. Thousands of these 
recipes are sold at prices ranging from one to 
ten dollars, but instead of being "new and in- 
fallible " they are "new and worthless." 

BUYING EGGS. 

"What! $5 a setting for eggs?" says the 
buyer. "I can get them all around me for 25 
cents a dozen." So far the buyer is correct. 
Nobody wishes to pay $5 for thirteen eggs, but 
is the buyer when he wishes to purchase, desir- 
ous of eggs or stock f Eggs contain the germs of 
future offspring. An egg is but the temporary 
receptacle of that which must be warmed into 
something else. The egg, as a substance, has 
only a nominal value, but the egg } as a means 
of procuring a noted strain of superior fowls, 
possesses a value beyond its use for ordinary 
purposes. A Jersey calf, which is the founda- 
tion upon which a noted herd may be con- 
structed, could not be bought except at a very 
high price ; but the butcher would not pay a 
penny per pound more for it as veal. The ani- 
mal comes from an egg s which is hatched by 
heat at a regular temperature inside the body, 
while the chick comes from an egg, but hatched 
outside the body. Man, all animals, and 
some kind of fishes are hatched from eggs, 
strange as it may seem, but under different 
systems from that pertaining to fowls. Mam- 
mals bring forth their young ready hatched, 
but fowls bring forth young and hatch them 
afterwards. A wise provision of nature thus 
permits of the rapid multiplication of birds, 
which would be an impossibility were the young 
produced the same as with animals. The hog, 
cat, dog and other animals are capable of pro- 
ducing more than one young at the same time, 
but they must provide nourishment for them 
by converting food into milk. Birds feed their 
young with the food in its natural condition, 



108 THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 

and are not capable of nourishing a brood 
within the body during the process of develop- 
ment. 

The egg, then, being the produce of the par- 
ents, represents the young of such, and should 
be valued according to the worth of the par- 
ents. It matters not from what breed of fowls 
the eggs may come if they are intended for the 
table, for the price may be regulated by its 
domestic uses, but in purchasing eggs for sitting 
purposes let it be remembered that they con- 
tain the germs of something grander and more 
beautiful than the common scrubs that have no 
name nor family lineage. 

USING AN INCUBATOR. 
(Copied from Poultry Keeper.) 

The incubator should be ready for use by 
February 1. The hen will answer fully as well 
but you cannot make the hens sit, while the 
incubator can be started up at any time. An 
incubator holding 200 eggs will do the work of 
twenty hens and will hatch out the chicks at 
one time. It is better to have a large number 
of chicks, as it requires no more labor to attend 
to 500 chicks than it does for one-fourth that 
number. The first hatch should be experi- 
mental ; that is, do not expect the best results, 
but determine to learn " the idea " of the thing, 
and by the next hatch the work will be easier. 
Hens do not become broody, as a rule, in the 
winter season, but it will be necessary to hatch 
out the broilers in the falland winter in order 
to get them in the market in the spring. The 
most important matter is to use good eggs. 
Select them from the most vigorous stock, and 
discard all eggs that are not perfect in every 
respect. 

"A good incubator will always be found a 
profitable investment to those who raise poultry 
to any extent. 

KEEPING SCRUBS. 

One reason for the lack of interest in poultry 
on the part of the farmers, is the failure to 



THE POULTER'S GUIDE. 109 

manage the flock in a manner to secure the 
largest returns possible. It is an astonishing 
fact that man}' farmers are incapable of classi- 
fying poultry. They know very little in regard 
to the breeds, and although they recognize the 
importance of breed in animals, yet they permit 
their fowls to become inbred, and take no care 
regarding the uniformity of the flock, or of the 
eggs and dressed carcasses derived therefrom. 
Did any farmer ever calculate how much he 
loses by keeping scrub fowls ? If we estimate 
the price of eggs for the entire year at 20 cents 
per dozen, and the flock to number fifty hens, 
the difference of only one egg per month from 
each hen ( a dozen eggs per year ) will entail the 
loss of $10. Will it not pay, then, to use a breed 
that will permit of each hen laying one egg 
more in the month ? Viewed from this stand- 
point the common hen is a costly luxury. We 
do not class grades or crosses with scrubs, but 
the common barn-yard fowl that is bred from 
any source, or by accident. The pure breeds 
can be made to perform the service character- 
istic of the breed selected, and when the farmer 
gives poultry the same attention in breeding as 
is devoted to larger stock, he will find that, in 
proportion to capital invested, poultry will 
prove the most profitable stock on the farm. 

STJNFLOW r ER SEEDS. 

Fortunate, indeed, is he who has a plenty of 
sunflower seed for his poultry. They are es- 
pecially an excellent feed while the fowls are 
moulting. The oily nature of these seeds tends 
to assist the natural dropping out of the old 
feathers and their rapid replacement with the 
new, fresh growth. They are also useful for 
feeding in small quantities right along, as they 
keep the bowels regular and active and the 
plumage of the birds glossy and smooth, a very 
desirable condition in the case of fine exhibi- 
bition stock. 

MOULTING HENS. 

As soon as the hens begin to show nakedness, 
and also to commence dropping their feathers, 



110 

but few eggs should be expected, as the hens 
will rest from their work until they take on 
new plumage. The sooner they put on their new 
attire the sooner they will begin to lay. The 
best food for them is lean meat, or fresh bones 
from the butcher, but as all oily foods hasten 
moulting of the feathers, a pint of linseed meal 
may be added to their food daily for twenty 
hens. Feed the moulting hens once a day, and 
give them liberty on the range. 

STORE A SUPPLY OF DIRT. 

Get in a supply of dirt before winter. Have 
it dry, and place it where it can be used con- 
veniently. Dirt is important, as the hens use 
it for dusting. It also absorbs droppings, serves 
as a deodorizer, and makes it easy to clean out 
the poultry house. A bushel of fine dry plaster, 
mixed with ten bushels of dry dirt, will be an 
advantage. Keep the dirt in a dry place, free 
from dampness. 

MILK AND BUTTERMILK. 

Milk and buttermilk or whey may be given 
to hens at all seasons, but it should not remain 
in the vessels to be exposed to the sun, or to 
ferment and become sour. For chicks only the 
sweet milk should be used, and it is best to 
scald it. The proper way to give milk is to use 
it early in the morning, and remove all that is 
left over. 

A man who combines poultry raising and 
dairying, and is not prejudiced in favor of 
either, says that twenty-five good fowls will 
earn as much as one cow. 

This is worth the consideration of men with 
small capital. 



The $12 Chapman's "Ideal" Green 
...Bone Cutter... 




CAPACITY 35 LBS- PER HOUR. 

The most SUBSTANTIAL and PRACTICAL machine 
made. We have tried them all. They run Easy. Any or- 
dinary child can run them. EVERY MACHINE WAR- 
RANTED. Weight of this cutter is ioo lbs., 22 inches high. 
Cylinder contains 112 square inches. It will cut bones 4^ 
in. diameter by 7 in. long, which is a larger bone than any $18 
bone cutter on the market can take, excepting the " Ideal." 

It has 3 knives with a cutting surface of 5% inches. The 
"Ideal" is made with Hardened Steel Roller Bearings, and 
is the only cutter in the WORLD made in that way. It cuts 
all kinds of bones, green or dry, and all kinds of vegetables. 
If you wish to improve the HEALTH OF YOUR STOCK, 
double your egg products, and at the same time lessen the 
food expense, secure one of these cutters. Ten Different 
Styles ; prices range from $ 10.00 to $26.00. 

Address DES MOINES INCUBATOR CO. 



We Manufacture 



A FULL AND COMPLETE 
. . . LINE O 



iBrooders 



Hot Air, 
Hot Water, 
Indoor, 
Outdoor, 



. AND THE 



Sectional Hot Water 
System, 

Ranging in Prices from 

$8 to $30. 



The illustration on the opposite page shows our 200 

capacity Hot-Air Brooder, price $12, and is 

of great value to every one who 

raises Poultry, even if no 

incubator is used. 



It is an Actual Fact 

that during the Season of 96=7 every Brooder 
sold gave the purchaser entire satisfaction. 



9 



We Manufacture 



HOT WATER AND 
HOT AIR 



Incubators 

From 50 to 800 capacity, combining the latest im- 
provements known to the Incubator art. 

Hot Water and... 
Hot Air Systems 




A 208 SIZE HOT AIR INCUBATOR, WITH PATENT TRAYS. 
264 WITH THE WIRE TRAYS. 

Send 6 cents in stamps for our new Catalogue 
and Poultry Book combined, showing illustrations 
and describing the greatest line of Incubators and 
Brooders made by one firm. 

ADDRESS 

Des Moines Incubator Co. 

DES MOINES, IOWA. 












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